[Happy Camper]

So, thinking of trying out this speaker tap thingie with my balanced LCD-2, HE-500, LCD-XC and maybe HE-400. I can build the 4-pin female XLR-Banana adapter quite easily, might use speaker cable if anyone does not advise against.

This is the amp I plan to use. Whats the risk of headphones or something else going boom?


ALWAYS keep the volume control down until ready to listen to music. I've heard some nasty pops when the amp comes on line. In fact, I'd turn on the amp and let it come on line before connecting the cans. The LCDs may not respond as well as the HE on a speaker amp. That much power may need to have the signal attenuated to keep the hiss down. Depends on the amps ability to give a quiet background with said load. Otherwise, the amp should have no problems.

 

[Chris J]

So, thinking of trying out this speaker tap thingie with my balanced LCD-2, HE-500, LCD-XC and maybe HE-400. I can build the 4-pin female XLR-Banana adapter quite easily, might use speaker cable if anyone does not advise against.

This is the amp I plan to use. Whats the risk of headphones or something else going boom?

Musical Fidelity M6i
http://www.musicalfidelity.com/support/discontinued-products/m6i/
http://www.musicalfidelity.com/uploads/catalogerfiles/m6i/4_M6i.pdf

Output

Power 200 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms (23dBW)

Voltage 45 Volts RMS, 20Hz to 20 kHz; onset of clipping

(126 Volts peak-to-peak)

Current peak-to-peak 45 Amps

Damping factor 170

Output devices 2 pairs per channel

Line input

THD+N <0.01% typical, 20Hz to 20 kHz

Signal / noise ratio >100dB ‘A’-weighted

Input impedance 38k Ohms

Frequency response +0, –0.1dB, 10Hz to 20 kHz

Power requirement

Mains voltages 115/230VAC 50/60Hz (factory pre-set)

100VAC 50/60Hz (alternative)

Consumption 680 Watts maximum

Weight

Unit only, unboxed 16.6 kg (36½ lbs)

 

It really comes down to keeping the volume down to a reasonable level.
I had no problems using my balanced Sennheiser HD424 headphones with a 250 W/ch Pass Labs amp.
I connected the headphones directly to the amp.

 

[montanari]

goodevening
yesterday I tried to connect my Audeze LDC3 (110ohm) to a speaker amp (a Spark with 4kt88) and they sounded very good
i actualy preferred this combination over the cavalli liquid glass
the amp had two resistor of 10 ohm (i guess? i m not so technical) it was the setup for the he-6 and i connected the audeze with the balance cable
i would like to do the same with my Unison S6 (36W on 4 or 8ohm)
i m not able to build a resistor, and i think it s a bit messy plug and unplug the speaker cable and the resistor
i was thinking to the hifiman adaptor, that if i understand correctly should be the same as a resistor, but more practical
i m going on the right direction?
what do you guys suggest?
thank you very much
Dani

 

[Happy Camper]

A ten watt, ten ohm resistor across the binding posts of the amp (parallel to the headphone) will change the load the amp sees. It's only necessary when using a transformer output amp. In line resistors (series to the headphone) will attenuate the output, burning off power so the headphones don't see so much. This can also be done by attenuating the signal coming into the amp. A pre with volume control does this already. Hifiman's box will do this but you can do the same thing for a lot less by just doing your own resistors. You don't build a resistor, you buy it. The HE-6 thread has all this information in it. The resistor(s) are the tenth or less of the cost of that box but it offers convenience.

 

[montanari]

thanks Harry
and then i have to go from 4 speaker cable (2 left 2 right) to a balance input so to connect the headphone right?
i think the hifiman box is more practical, if some of you guys can indicate me a box that work properly like the hifiman one but made by someone of us headfier i would really appreciate it
im very bad with this technical stuff

 

[montanari]

I found a robinette box with two resistor R2 6ohm and R3 2ohm
Do you think is indicated with my amp and headphone?
Thanks
DM

 

[Sonic Defender]

A ten watt, ten ohm resistor across the binding posts of the amp (parallel to the headphone) will change the load the amp sees. It's only necessary when using a transformer output amp. In line resistors (series to the headphone) will attenuate the output, burning off power so the headphones don't see so much. This can also be done by attenuating the signal coming into the amp. A pre with volume control does this already. Hifiman's box will do this but you can do the same thing for a lot less by just doing your own resistors. You don't build a resistor, you buy it. The HE-6 thread has all this information in it. The resistor(s) are the tenth or less of the cost of that box but it offers convenience.

How about the ultimate resistor being the gain control? I'm not saying that to be cheeky, but ultimately if the gain on your amp has enough play then going straight from the speaker terminals with no resistors is fine correct? I know I was a tad worried when I went to the fairly sensitive TH 900, but there has been no issue at all with hiss, or having little room to move on the volume dial with the M3. So if the amps volume control works well enough I guess I'm asking when and why would you ever need to use resistors period (besides with a transformer output amp)?

 

[Chris J]

 
How about the ultimate resistor being the gain control? I'm not saying that to be cheeky, but ultimately if the gain on your amp has enough play then going straight from the speaker terminals with no resistors is fine correct? I know I was a tad worried when I went to the fairly sensitive TH 900, but there has been no issue at all with hiss, or having little room to move on the volume dial with the M3. So if the amps volume control works well enough I guess I'm asking when and why would you ever need to use resistors period (besides with a transformer output amp)?

 
If the amp's volume control works fine for your purposes, then I wouldn't bother with a resistor. 

 

[ashutoshp]

Cool thread. Sub'd

 

[Armaegis]

I've been playing around with some vintage pro amps lately. Scribbling down notes for myself:
 
- all amps with gain set to max, volume controlled entirely through dac or dap
 
 
Bryston 4B pro (80's??): passive cooling, lots of meat in the bottom, lots of authority (best of the three), mids nothing of particular note, upper end kinda brittle but I wonder if this is the age of the amp showing, DC offset is a bit higher than I'd like (~40mV), I think the bias needs to be adjusted, probably needs recapping at this age
- newer revisions of the Bryston designs have supposedly resolved the treble issue; I'm really curious to hear this
 
Yorkville AP800 (late 90's??): cooling fan noise (boo), noisefloor a bit lower than 4B, lowest DC offset (~2mV), I like this better than the 4B but hard to qualify why, not as much bass impact, smoother mids and treble, I really like being able to use a single speakon connector to XLR
 
Carver PM-1.5 (late 80's): fan noise but much less than AP800, lowest noise floor, DC offset ~9mV, at first I thought soundstage was really screwed up but turns out one of the channels is phase inverted, overall very cohesive sound, favourite amp of the three by a small margin
 
edit:
Bryston 3B (90's??): looks like the 4B but not as deep; I think this one is a revision newer. Excellent offset (0-4mV)Initial impression, I like it more than the 4B. Same powerful grip in the bass, not as brittle top but still bright-ish. Overall sound kinda V shaped. Smoother than 4B.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I've been playing around with some vintage pro amps lately. Scribbling down notes for myself:
 
- all amps with gain set to max, volume controlled entirely through dac or dap
 
 
Bryston 4B pro (80's??): passive cooling, lots of meat in the bottom, lots of authority (best of the three), mids nothing of particular note, upper end kinda brittle but I wonder if this is the age of the amp showing, DC offset is a bit higher than I'd like (~40mV), I think the bias needs to be adjusted, probably needs recapping at this age
- newer revisions of the Bryston designs have supposedly resolved the treble issue; I'm really curious to hear this
 
Yorkville AP800 (late 90's??): cooling fan noise (boo), noisefloor a bit lower than 4B, lowest DC offset (~2mV), I like this better than the Bryston but hard to qualify why, not as much bass impact, smoother mids and treble, I really like being able to use a single speakon connector to XLR
 
Carver PM-1.5 (late 80's): fan noise but much less than AP800, lowest noise floor, DC offset ~9mV, at first I thought soundstage was really screwed up but turns out one of the channels is phase inverted, overall very cohesive sound, favourite amp of the three by a small margin

Nice, I have always wanted to hear a nice Carver amp.

 

[Armaegis]

Some of my impressions from the Bryston thread... http://www.head-fi.org/t/560499/new-headphone-amplifier-from-bryston/1665#post_11780395

 

Interestingly... for headphone use (again I've only really evaluated with my HE-6) my preference is actually 2B > 3B > 4B
 
4B: most bass grip, but top end slightly brittle; I suspect age as this is the oldest amp and has the highest DC offset.
3B: a bit less grip, smoother up top but still a bit hard, overall mild V shape feel to the sound (not really, but feels that way)
2B: most balanced overall, and smoothest top end (also youngest amp of the lot)

 
 
I also got a NuPrime IDA-8 today. Holy balls this thing is nice...

 

[jaywillin]

i've tried searching and haven't found anything, has anyone know if , used an audiosource amp 100 to power and their headphones, and speakers ?

 

[Armaegis]

As long as you're careful with the volume, you can use any speaker amp to power headphones.

 

[jaywillin]

  As long as you're careful with the volume, you can use any speaker amp to power headphones.

ok, that's kinda what i was thinking, thanks