[santiclaws]

When using full-size amps to drive phones are the phones just being shoved into the headphone jack? I'm sure that's not a problem with higher-end amps and receivers, but what about so-so gear? It should still have plenty of oomph to drive a pair of cans, but the headphone out probably leaves something to be desired. Are you re-wiring them?

 

[ericj]

a little from collumn A, a little from collumn B.

 

[Kees]

I give up. This is out of my league. I can't for the life of me figure out what you want to know.

 

[Minimauled]

Hurumpf.

 

[santiclaws]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif I give up. This is out of my league. I can't for the life of me figure out what you want to know.

If you have a full-size, low to mid-end amp or receiver which you suspect doesn't have good output through the headphone jack, but otherwise has plenty of juice - is there a "rewire" which can be done to get it to drive a pair of cans rather than a pair of speakers?

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by santiclaws /img/forum/go_quote.gif When using full-size amps to drive phones are the phones just being shoved into the headphone jack? I'm sure that's not a problem with higher-end amps and receivers, but what about so-so gear? It should still have plenty of oomph to drive a pair of cans, but the headphone out probably leaves something to be desired. Are you re-wiring them?

Some integrated amps and receivers have good headphone out (ie. NAD or Marantz). I guess that those manufacturers did pay attention to the headphone output. Most of others are mediocre.

No. I don't think it's worthy to modify the int. amp or receiver to improve the headphone output. You'd rather invest in a dedicated headphone amp.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by santiclaws /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you have a full-size, low to mid-end amp or receiver which you suspect doesn't have good output through the headphone jack, but otherwise has plenty of juice - is there a "rewire" which can be done to get it to drive a pair of cans rather than a pair of speakers?

If the amp is using a separate circuit to power the headphone jack, then yes, potentially you could instead tap the headphone jack from the speaker outputs (with an appropriate voltage divider) to get more "juice" for the headphone output. Many (most?) amps that are already wired this way just use a single pair of resistors in series with the headphone jack, which usually has the side effect of making the sound warm and euphonic, or thick and bloated, depending on the headphones and one's personal preferences.

 

[facelvega]

If I understand the OP correctly, then yes, there is an alternative to using the headphone out. A few headphones with very high impedance and power handling can be driven directly from the speaker outs, otherwise there are rare boxes you can use to mediate between the speaker outs and your headphones, or in principle you could build one. Before reaching that point, though, most everyone around here just uses a line out into a dedicated headphone amp instead.

 

[santiclaws]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I understand the OP correctly, then yes, there is an alternative to using the headphone out. A few headphones with very high impedance and power handling can be driven directly from the speaker outs, otherwise there are rare boxes you can use to mediate between the speaker outs and your headphones, or in principle you could build one. Before reaching that point, though, most everyone around here just uses a line out into a dedicated headphone amp instead.

OK, that makes sense. It's just that I've seen recommendations that people NOT get a compact headphone amp if portability is not an issue and just use a regular amp, such as a "vintage" amp which can be found cheaply. If the regular amp in question didn't have a good headphone out, the advice didn't make much sense so I was wondering if there was a simple mod people were using to convert amps to drive cans rather than speakers. Apparently not.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by santiclaws /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, that makes sense. It's just that I've seen recommendations that people NOT get a compact headphone amp if portability is not an issue and just use a regular amp, such as a "vintage" amp which can be found cheaply. If the regular amp in question didn't have a good headphone out, the advice didn't make much sense so I was wondering if there was a simple mod people were using to convert amps to drive cans rather than speakers. Apparently not.

They usually mean a regular headphone amp, and not a compact portable headphone amp.

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif They usually mean a regular headphone amp, and not a compact portable headphone amp.

Yes, that's what is usually meant by this. If you have a good amp or receiver, especially a vintage Marantz, Sherwood, Yamaha, Pioneer, Luxman, etc., this can do a good job from the headphone out, though typically not on a level with a dedicated headphone amp.