[adsmithy]

Hi,

I've been struggling with this for a while. I'm wanting to integrate some headphones into my system somehow. My 1212m soundcard has no headphone out.

What would be the best way to get some headphones into my system?

I'm swinging towards a Travagans Green or White and connecting via USB.

 

[BadassBob]

All you need is a headphone amp. The 1212M doesnt come with a headphone out.

 

[adsmithy]

I think it's the best way, just wanted some confirmation.

Are there any headphone amps with a digital coaxial / optical in?

 

[TSi]

Yes, the iBasso D1

 

[adsmithy]

OK, thanks.

How does a USB/DAC work exactly with regards to making it work with media players. For example, in Foobar, you have an "output" component which is currently set to "primary sound driver". If I connect up my USB amp, will I need to configure this setting to allow it to work?

 

[synaesthetic]

The system will see a USB DAC as a "USB Audio Device"--basically as a separate sound card. You'll need to select it as your audio output device in your OS in order for music to come out of it. =P

Connecting a more traditional D/A converter via toslink or coax spdif would result in something different; the computer wouldn't know the DAC was there and would output digital audio signal through the 1212m.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Why not just plug the 1212M into a headphone amp? It has a far better output section than you're likely to find in a cheap DAC/amp combo.

 

[Dominat0r]

ya, i have to agree here with the general idea that its better NOT to have a headphone out on the 1212....reason being, it will most likely be underpowered for most good cans. Why even waste the space? I never use my Zhaolu amp, not cause its bad (it about as good as a CMOY) its just not up to the task. Save up and pair that with a nice amp and you should find audio bliss...GL.

 

[adsmithy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why not just plug the 1212M into a headphone amp? It has a far better output section than you're likely to find in a cheap DAC/amp combo.

I would do but I currently have my analogue outputs feeding my power amps, unless there is a way around this to have my 1212m feeding both a headphone amp and my power amps via analogue?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adsmithy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would do but I currently have my analogue outputs feeding my power amps, unless there is a way around this to have my 1212m feeding both a headphone amp and my power amps via analogue?

It will require some adapters, but sure. I'm assuming your power amps have RCA inputs and that you're using two 1/4" TS to RCA adapters on the 1212M's outputs. If so, just add two RCA splitter y-adapters like these.

 

[Dominat0r]

ya, you can get a switch box or just do some unplugging and plugging it into a different source.

 

[obobskivich]

hold on

does your front L/R audio amp have a passthrough? (or a tape/record out?) if so, don't run a splitter (it'll mess with volume control and quality)

anyways, ideally you'd go 1212->power amps -> front L/R passthrough -> headamp

another option is to go with the digital out, but like has been said, the 1212 will have better quality than anything you'll find in a reasonable price range (now if buying something like the Benchmark DAC or something a few bucks down is possible, that'd be a different story, and yes the 1212's digital output should be good enough to keep up with a DAC1 (its ~120db SNR unless you've got a wicked old card in which case idk, I know the one they currently sell, and have sold for ~years is the same base board used in the 1616, which shares its D/A and A/D stages with the ProTools HD racks, so ~120 dB SNR and really low THD/IMD (basically very transpoarent, and basically as transparent as it gets for that price segment (and double or triple that price segment, more $$$ just gives more channels or I/O power)))


anyways, enough of the rambling, lol, look for L/R passthroughs (what amps are you driving off of this? and what cans are you wanting to drive? (if they're relatively low impedance, like Grado or Denon cans, and you've got an amp with a headphone output, you might be able to get good sound just doing that (if they're high impedance, like Sennheiser, AKG, etc you should really run a head-amp))


edit ::
just thought about this, if you get a headamp with a passthrough you could put that between the 1212 and the front L/R amplifier, without cutting up the signal as much as going 1/4 TRS -> twin TRS -> twin RCA out (see how much its getting cut apart?)

 

[infinitesymphony]

Splitting an output signal shouldn't significantly reduce its volume. Yes, it's less than ideal, but the split must occur somewhere. Pass-throughs are not always true bypass.

 

[adsmithy]

Front L/R amps are Marantz MA500 blocks; each with an RCA "Invert Output".

I could use a headphone amp as a go between, but I don't want it to reduce the sound quality to my main speakers.

I don't have any cans as of yet.

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Splitting an output signal shouldn't significantly reduce its volume. Yes, it's less than ideal, but the split must occur somewhere. Pass-throughs are not always true bypass.

yeah, i thought about passthroughs being garbage sometimes...i was thinking of studio equipment honestly (1212M is studio, figured the rest of his setup was studio, so it does what it says its going to do, and it doesnt mess with you (unless its cheap crap, but even most of that stuff does what it says its going to))

i'm not really loving invert output (probably phase invert or something else like that, i dont even want to speculate into what they were thinking)

if you blew a fortune on a good headamp you'd have a true bypass and it'd sound fine, but thats kind of insane

here's a crazy idea
what about something like this?
Mackie - Big Knob

ok so run the 1212M to the DAW Mix In (or either of the line, just avoid that phono because its got a RIAA pre on it), and hook up your MA-500's to the Monitor Out and your phones to the phones-amp out, granted you'll be MASSIVELY under-utilizing what this thing is designed for, but at the same time, its designed for what you want to do, here's a hookup diagram to help you visualize:

http://www.mackie.com/home/showimage...ges/hookup.jpg

and here it is for sale:
Mackie Big Knob | Sweetwater.com

now yes, i realize its like $300, but imo its the closest way to "right" as far as wiring this up (it gives you control over everything, and it doesnt have things splitting or wiring into things they shouldn't be mating with)