[sant430]

I'd like to invest in a dedicated amp that will help drive my portable dap's (X5, iPods, Karma, RH1) when they're connected to my home stereo's tuner.

Anytime I connect these players to my home stereo, the output is substandard; and using my SM3v6 helps, but I'd like a committed unit for home.

There will be times when I'd like to use it to drive my headphones, but that would be the exception and not the norm since I'll invest in a dedicated home headphone amp in the future.......

My budget tops out at $400, but I could go a bit higher if it's worth the extra $$$......

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[hwc]

How are you plugging the iPod into your home stereo? A miniplug to RCA jack converter straight into TAPE or AUX or CD inputs on your home receiver should work fine. You want to set the iPod at full volume and use the stereo's volume control.

Even better would be a docking base that gives you line outs from the iPod.

What kind of trouble are you having? It should work fine. An amp would hurt more than it helps.

 

[sant430]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwc How are you plugging the iPod into your home stereo? A miniplug to RCA jack converter straight into TAPE or AUX or CD inputs on your home receiver should work fine. You want to set the iPod at full volume and use the stereo's volume control. Even better would be a docking base that gives you line outs from the iPod. What kind of trouble are you having? It should work fine. An amp would hurt more than it helps.

I have to admit that I haven't plugged the iPod into the home stereo. HOwever, when I've connected the X5, Karma, RH1 to my home stereo, I get a substantial drop in my volume output. That's why I've thought a good home/headphone amp would help. I just got a dock in recently so I'll have to try connecting the iPod directly and give that a try.

 

[hwc]

I assume you are talking about an RH1 Sony mini-disc recorder?

If so, just come out of the headphone/line out jack with a miniplug to twin RCA adaptor into the TAPE or AUX or CD inputs on your receiver.

You have to go into the RH1's menu for the AUDIO OUT setting. Change it from HEADPHONE to LINE OUT. This gives you a 194 mV audio output which should be more than enough to drive any home receiver, no sweat. Just checking the specs for a typical Pioneer surround receiver, it is spec'd at 200 mV at any of those inputs for full rated power. So, you are just fine. You might have to turn the volume control up a little higher than with some of your other sources. So what?

An additional amplifier would actually hurt in this case. There's no need for it whatsoever.

If any of these components do not have an option for a fixed level line output, then you will need to come out of the headphone jack to the inputs on the home stereo. In that case, you will need to crank the volume on the digital player up to max.

A "LINE OUT" is like a fixed-level headphone jack with the volume pegged. Or, looking at it the other way, a Headphone output is a LINE OUT with a volume control that allows you to reduce the volume.

 

[c0mfortably_numb]

As far as the Ipod is concerned you do not need an amp, you will want a line level output, there are several after market docks that will give you the line out for example Audio Lineout also there is a member here who makes docks, Turbo, if you already have a Rca to mini cable then all you need is a dock PM Turbo for info on his docks.

 

[sant430]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwc I assume you are talking about an RH1 Sony mini-disc recorder? If so, just come out of the headphone/line out jack with a miniplug to twin RCA adaptor into the TAPE or AUX or CD inputs on your receiver. You have to go into the RH1's menu for the AUDIO OUT setting. Change it from HEADPHONE to LINE OUT. This gives you a 194 mV audio output which should be more than enough to drive any home receiver, no sweat. Just checking the specs for a typical Pioneer surround receiver, it is spec'd at 200 mV at any of those inputs for full rated power. So, you are just fine. You might have to turn the volume control up a little higher than with some of your other sources. So what? An additional amplifier would actually hurt in this case. There's no need for it whatsoever. If any of these components do not have an option for a fixed level line output, then you will need to come out of the headphone jack to the inputs on the home stereo. In that case, you will need to crank the volume on the digital player up to max. A "LINE OUT" is like a fixed-level headphone jack with the volume pegged. Or, looking at it the other way, a Headphone output is a LINE OUT with a volume control that allows you to reduce the volume.

When I've connected any of my portables to my stereo, I'm definitely getting a low volume output (even switching from the Headphone Out to the Line-Out settings or using the line-out on the X5 dock) and I really don't like having my tuner at a rediculously high level so I can get a moderate volume level. I also had a better output putting my SM3 into the chain.

 

[hwc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sant430 I really don't like having my tuner at a rediculously high level so I can get a moderate volume level.

When you say "ridiculously high level", are you saying that you can't get the stereo to play loud enough?

Or are you simply saying that you have to turn the volume control up a higher with your portable sources than with a DVD, a CD player, or the AM/FM tuner? If that's all, so what? You aren't using any more power if your listening level is the same.

I have easily 10dB differences in levels just between certain TV channels on my audio/video system. There's a solid 4 to 6 dB difference between DTS and Dolby Digital DVDs. The AM/FM tuner is lower volume than DVDs.

I don't have any analog sources connected to my audio system at the moment, so I can't check those levels.

In any case, why not use your receiver's preamp section to get the extra gain? That's what it is there for.

 

[sant430]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwc When you say "ridiculously high level", are you saying that you can't get the stereo to play loud enough? Or are you simply saying that you have to turn the volume control up a higher with your portable sources than with a DVD, a CD player, or the AM/FM tuner? If that's all, so what? You aren't using any more power if your listening level is the same. I have easily 10dB differences in levels just between certain TV channels on my audio/video system. There's a solid 4 to 6 dB difference between DTS and Dolby Digital DVDs. The AM/FM tuner is lower volume than DVDs. I don't have any analog sources connected to my audio system at the moment, so I can't check those levels. In any case, why not use your receiver's preamp section to get the extra gain? That's what it is there for.

It's not just having to adjust the volume more or less to get a comparable volume to my other units, it's having to go near max level to get a moderately decent sound. Nonetheless, this thread's re-piqued my curiousity to listen to all my units through my tuner again and give another listen.....

Regarding my iPod, I received a Kensington dock as a gift so I'm going to try that setup, and I didn't even think of using the preamp section. I'm definitely going to play with that option!

 

[hwc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sant430 I didn't even think of using the preamp section. I'm definitely going to play with that option!

Just to make sure we talking about the same thing:

a) What brand and model is your hi-fi receiver?

b) What inputs on that receiver are you plugging your portables into?

 

[sant430]

my tuner's an accurian (rat shack model).

Anytime I've connected my portables to any of my tuners, I connect them with a mini-RCA (RCA to RCA for my Karma) to usually the TAPE or AUX connection. I know that some older tuners I've had had a preamp section. I don't know if this one has it.

Anyway, I'm going to find some time this weekend to run some sound comparisons and see what I can find out.

Thanks again for your time everyone!!