Sunfire Vacuum Tube Pre XLRs for Grado 325i

[doctorcilantro]

Hey all,

Curious about that S. Florida meet but doesn't sound like it's in Tampa....anyway....


I have invested in a set of Grado 325i headphones & I have an EMU USB 0202 for quick and easy connection to my PC. I also have an EMU 1212M which drives my main system. This system consists of a Sunfire Classic Tube Preamp & I was wondering of I could use the extra XLR main outputs with the 325i's.

The Klipsch speakers connected to the RCA main outs are over 100db/w rated. Wondering if the Grados & Klipsch would respond similarly to the tube pre which I usually don't rock over 11 o'clock.

1. Can I use the Grados with the Sunfire?

2. Will there be any problem driving (damage to the Grados) both cans and Klipsch RF-7s at the same time?

I can provide specs in the morning for both the RF-7s and the Sunfire pre.

thanks
DC

 

[hugz]

Am i misreading or are your speakers connected directly to the preamp (no power amp)?

 

[doctorcilantro]

Sorry,

1212M or TT>Sunfire>Quicksilver Mini-Mites (25wpc)>Klipsch RF-7

Just curious about using the Sunfire, either RCA or XLR outs instead of the EMU USB 0202, but no big deal. Then I have to mod the cans and possible unmod them if I want to use the XLR outs in the future. the mini-mites have unbalanced rca inputs. One option is obviously to leave the amps off, if the Sunfire will even correctly drive the Grados.

Output impedance of the Sunfire is 1.5K ohms.

thanks,
DC

 

[Skylab]

Well...

I don't think that the Sunfire's preamp outs would have juice to drive headphones. I had this pre-amp for several years, and it's a great preamp. But the reason we have headphone AMPS is that you need some power to drive headphones - more power than the line output of a preamp is likely to provide.

That said, I will say that the balanced (XLR) outs of the Sunfire were pretty hot in level - I could barely crack the preamp volume with my Sunfire amp, even with my power-hungry B&W monsters. So it is POSSIBLE that you would get enough level.

But I think you'd get better sound from almost any of the zillions of good headphone amps available.

 

[doctorcilantro]

Thanks, for now I will use my EMU usb 0202 until I get something "serious"


DC

 

[doctorcilantro]

What about a passive line stage with balanced inputs just to provide a gain nuetral gain boost of the Sunfire signal...

DC