Hooking HD600 to Cary amp binding posts?

[sargon2003]

I have a Cary 2A3si which is a 15 watt push pull triode integrated. Seems a rather rare amp as Cary only makes them special order. Anyway, I am thinking about having Cary put a headphone socket in it but really would like to try it first.

So my question is: Is there any way of hooking my HD600 to the speaker binding posts (that is short of making the wire myself or destroying the stock wires on the headphones)? I figure someone must make a high quality adapter.

Also, from a sound perspective, is there any reason not to do this on an amp? I expect it would not be a good idea on a 400 watt Krell, but that anything up to 50 watts would be OK as long as you are carful with the volume. Thoughts or opinions?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Cheers, Shawn

 

[smokey]

http://www.divertech.com/uhcsignature.html

You might do a search for this product on head-fi and see what opinions exist as to its quality. But I think it'll do what you want.

By the way if you get this mod done to the Cary, let us know how it goes. I've thought of doing the exact same thing. I've seen Cary do the single ended integrated thing with the 2A3si, and the 845. I've often wondered how they would sound through a headphone jack, like the SLI-80 and the 300SEI, or maybe better. (What I'd really like to see them try is a 45 tube, but I can't ever remember them doing so.)

 

[bifcake]

There was actually a discussion recently on this very device you mentioned. Opinions were varied. Some stated that there was no degradation in sound quality. Others complained of hiss and said that this device wasn't worth the money. If I find that thread, I'll post the link here.

 

[ayt999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bifcake There was actually a discussion recently on this very device you mentioned. Opinions were varied. Some stated that there was no degradation in sound quality. Others complained of hiss and said that this device wasn't worth the money. If I find that thread, I'll post the link here.

you mean this thread?

 

[bifcake]

Yep, that's the thread I was referring to. Thanks

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Others complained of hiss and said that this device wasn't worth the money. If I find that thread, I'll post the link here.

Any "hiss" you hear with the UHC is from the amp itself and not the matching device which is a totally passive impedance matching transformer.
Tube noise is something that will come through if present in the amp design and while it may not be noticed with loudspeakers the direct close coupling of the headphone to the ear magnifies the noise.

tye same can be said of tube amps and horn loudspeakers.Use the same amp with a speaker system that has a sensitivity of 89db/1w (sealed system) and one that has high efficiency in the area of 100db/1w (horn system) and you will get two opinions of the same amp.

all else being equal the person with the low effieciency speakers will be satisfied while the person with the horn system will claim the amp is "noisy"

That is why extra steps are taken for noise control when the amp is a low power SE circuit intended for use with horns or is a headphone specific tube amp.

I have and use the ASL UHC (actually one of the first protoypes) and i am more than pleased with the device.The only limits on the sound are amplifier limits in my experience

YMMV as always