[i luvmusic 2]

I've also been looking at the Little Dots but there are so many options there. I've never heard of Pan Am and always assumed Woo Audio was out of my league. Is there some website where these options can be viewed all together?

What I'd really like is a nice warm sounding (preferably valve) headphone amp which also allows me to pass through the signal to my Marantz stereo amplifier.

Edit > I was right, Woo Audio is out of my league.

If you are considering Little Dot Amp don't bother with  the other model other than LD 1+ for your Q701 i have LD 1+ and LD MK III both are modded for 6SL7/6SN7/12SN7 with External Power Supply.IMO Q701 with LD MK III sound nice but it's nicer with LD 1+.For the Tubes no need to buy those expensive EF91 EF92 and EF95 family all you need is the Cheap 6HM5 Yugoslavia for $5.00 per tube and you are set. and  if you are willing to take it any further you can build the adapters for 6DJ8,12AU7 and for 6SL7/6SN7 but with all the tubes that i mentioned the 6SL7 or 6SN7 are the way to go.

 

[Solrighal]

This.  You have two options:

Run DAC > Marantz Line In > Marantz Line Out > Headphone Amp (all RCA)

or

Run DAC > Headphone Amp > Marantz Line In via 1/4" to RCA cable.

I see potential issues with both.  For option one, with my HK AVR, it need to be on and set to the correct source to pass through the optical.  I don't know if the RCA line out works the same way.  If it does, your Marantz will need to be on and set to the correct input and muted to use just your hedphone amp.

For option two, you'll be double-amping the signal so you'll have to be careful with volume settings?

EDIT - Or just use a splitter of some sort between the DAC and the Headphone amp at the risk of degraded SQ.

Both are possible I suppose but neither appeals if i'm honest. Good summation of the problem though. If I was a hermit I wouldn't be having this problem.

On a lighter note and back on topic - this bass mod has a far bigger effect than just enhancing the bass. There's definitely an increased soundstage. Everything seems to have more room to breathe. I wouldn't say the soundstage is wider, just more clearly defined.

 

[Solrighal]

If you are considering Little Dot Amp don't bother with  the other model other than LD 1+ for your Q701 i have LD 1+ and LD MK III both are modded for 6SL7/6SN7/12SN7 with External Power Supply.IMO Q701 with LD MK III sound nice but it's nicer with LD 1+.For the Tubes no need to buy those expensive EF91 EF92 and EF95 family all you need is the Cheap 6HM5 Yugoslavia for $5.00 per tube and you are set. and  if you are willing to take it any further you can build the adapters for 6DJ8,12AU7 and for 6SL7/6SN7 but with all the tubes that i mentioned the 6SL7 or 6SN7 are the way to go.

I did also look at the Little Dots but there were sooo many options. Is it safe buying stuff like that on ebay?

Edit - Little Dot is also a comic. Who knew?

 

[Stillhart]

The Marantz has a tape loop.

My wife just asked me if I could remember the last time I actually used the speakers. It was last year. I stopped drinking at New Year so the party animal is kinda retired, lol. I stopped smoking too, hence all this recent expenditure. And coffee.

Anyway, I digress. I could sell the amp and speakers and that could possibly just about cover the cost of some Schiit. Hmm...

 
I bet your Marantz amp does Dolby Headphone.  You might want to hold on to it, or sell it to a member on here who can appreciate it.  Or use it as your headphone amp for a bit and see what you think!

 

[Solrighal]

I bet your Marantz amp does Dolby Headphone.  You might want to hold on to it, or sell it to a member on here who can appreciate it.  Or use it as your headphone amp for a bit and see what you think!

Nah, it's just a straight stereo amp. I don't do no surround.

 

[Za Warudo]

A lot of good vintage receivers headphone outs are said to be as good if not better than most mid level headphone amps.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

I did also look at the Little Dots but there were sooo many options. Is it safe buying stuff like that on ebay?

Edit - Little Dot is also a comic. Who knew?

Yes From DavidZhezhe just buy it with the regular tubes you will end up replacing them anyway and IMO even the stock tubes are sound nice.About your EDIT yup that's what i thought before untill i decided to buy them.you will never know until you actualy have them.No matter how much money you spend on your Equipment if those things are not for your liking then IMO they are a piece of junk.I know some people in the LD thread here in Head-fi even though they own High end equipment they still keep on modifying/using thier LD amps  and sharing their improvement due to it's price and flexibility.Believe me you will not lost  much if you don't like them.This is just my opinion.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Here search this Thread( Little Dot Tube Amps: Vacuum Tube Rolling Guide)if you want to see what tubes are compatible with LD go to page 77 and all the way up.Have fun and good luck!

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I will test it out sometime this week with a Q701 but a Tubemagic A1 if you can find it used is a great deal. It has a 100% tube power HP out up to 1000mW per channel and it also has a hybrid speaker out (15w @ 8ohm). Can't use outputs simultaneously but one or the other sounds very good. I have it powering cheap Pioneer bookshelf speakers and it sounds great.

 

[Stillhart]

I read up a bunch on tuberolling and decided I am completely uninterested in getting sucked into that hobby.  I could see myself getting a Vali since it's self-contained.  Otherwise though, it's a rabbit-hole I'd sooner avoid.  lol

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  I read up a bunch on tuberolling and decided I am completely uninterested in getting sucked into that hobby.  I could see myself getting a Vali since it's self-contained.  Otherwise though, it's a rabbit-hole I'd sooner avoid.  lol

As long as you do some research and you know what kind of sound you want or want a variety of, you buy 2-3 sets of tubes and be done with it. The Tubemagic A1 for example, I've got the stock Raytheon which are bright, Telefunken for a balanced sound, and Mullard for a warm/dark sound. It CAN be a rabbit hole if you keep searching for something you don't know or you can have a nice variety of flavors at your disposal.

 

[Solrighal]

I, on the other hand, am quite comfortable with rabbit holes.

I can't see any Tubemagics on eBay though.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I, on the other hand, am quite comfortable with rabbit holes.

I can't see any Tubemagics on eBay though.

I would say you're better off buying locally but since you're in the UK then you might have more troubles locating one. They ship from China directly (link on the bottom of review): http://www.retrothing.com/2012/02/mavericks-199-tube-amplifier.html

 

[troymadison]

I'm amazed you guys find problems with lower frequencies on stock q701s

 

[Chris J]

A lot of good vintage receivers headphone outs are said to be as good if not better than most mid level headphone amps.

And some are worse.
Hard to make any blanket rules for something this vague.
Most of the vintage receivers have a very high output impedance headphone jack.