If you bridge the returns on one of those Tripath amplifiers you will kill the amp and possibly kill your headphones at the same time. Running headphones from one requires thus, at a minimum, retermination of the headphone to a 4 conductor connector. Even then it may be inadvisable.
When I was a kid back in 1965, I ran my headphones connected to the speaker outputs of my tubed Harmon receiver. I spent many hours late at night listening to KJAZ that way and the sound was glorious. Thanks for making me remember those days.
Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you bridge the returns on one of those Tripath amplifiers you will kill the amp and possibly kill your headphones at the same time. Running headphones from one requires thus, at a minimum, retermination of the headphone to a 4 conductor connector. Even then it may be inadvisable.
heh...i think i almost killed my amp trying to get the right channel to kick in while hooked up to the 1/4" adapter. luckily it is a spare...and not so great either.
And who had the bright idea of a common ground for R and L anyway? I mean even when I first figured out the big strip at the bottom of the mini jack was (-) for both sides I kind of scratched my head thinking "Isn't that bad, to combine the signal into the same wire?" Why...WHY not balanced mini jack? Even if the source is grounded that way, it would make it much easier...
*sigh*
4 pole TRS connectors exist, but even then you have to create a dead short every time you insert or remove the connector from its socket.
Originally, you just needed + and -. Stereo was a later development and the original TRS connectors were modified with the ring connector for Right and the tip for left / old mono. It was th best thing to do at the time, and when Sony miniturised the connector for the Walkman that set the standard for portable audio to come.
The smallest individually pinned connector which could be used that I know of which is a stock part is the 00- LEMO connector. They're smaller than miniXLR, small enough to be used for portable audio, but they aren't cheap.
I read a thread from another headphone forum where it was suggested to drive phones with a pre amp. This was not general consensus or accepted by the forum host, just a member comment.
I tried this, which involved buying a preloved ME24 pre amp, having an adaptor made, a simple rca interconnect terminated at one end with a neutric jack receiver. Cost about $ 1000 US. The max power output is rated as 10vrms.I also use it to drive 2 valve 240 w monoblock power amps for an open rig. It is a very fine pre amp and gives very dynamic and utterly neutral sound from K701, senn 650 and audio tech w1000.
I have compared it to the AD gd C2C, Doge ,Bada Ph12 , a Beta 22( not my own)and Benchmark head out.
It certainly holds it own against all mentioned above headamps. I avoid stating that it is better than any, simply because each has its own sound and presentation.However, it is utterly detailed, extremely dynamic and totally unbiased or neutral.It has spades of power and works well with whatever headphone I use.
I find system synergy very important and I find I can play around with source and phones to synergise while the amp just feeds the info through unchanged.
It is very versitile having two sets of outputs and multiple inputs, so comparisons is a piece of cake.
It has seen several upgrades up front and downstream and has passed improvements on effortlessly. I have tried this with very expensive preamps but the output is to low to drive headies of various impedances acceptably.
I am sure you could find some full function amp could do the trick as well just keep looking , maybe some tube low watt Yamamoto amp.
sorry to revive tthis old thread, i am a bit confused about making the adaptors, can someone please explain to me again? i seriously have no idea about soldering, is there anyway i can get it pre made somewhere?
I read a thread from another headphone forum where it was suggested to drive phones with a pre amp. This was not general consensus or accepted by the forum host, just a member comment.
No, it was a thread on Headphonic, an Australian headphone forum where it was suggested to use a ME 24 preamplifier, and using an adaptor from the one set of outputs to the power amp, with a Neutrik 1/4 inch receiver, to drive a pair of headphones. I must say it does so very well , even K701 is driven effortlesly. I tried this with some of my other pre amps and no go, no power.
I'd be REAL careful trying this.
Headphones are 3-wire.....Lhot / Rhot and ground.
If your amp is NOT common ground you could fry something....and I know some folk got a fortune into good ear speakers.
I would also avoid 'd' amps. I am told there is a small amount of DC always on the outputs.....IF this is true, that is also a killer.
As a test, unplug the amp. Let it sit while you go out and do some yard work or wash the car. In other words, make sure the PS caps are discharged!
Ohm out between the negative speaker outs. If there is continuity, I'd say you are OK.
The reason for the hiss, is maybe the fact that you are 1 click off the bottom for high headphone output. You haven't overcome the noise floor of the amp.
No, it was a thread on Headphonic, an Australian headphone forum where it was suggested to use a ME 24 preamplifier, and using an adaptor from the one set of outputs to the power amp, with a Neutrik 1/4 inch receiver, to drive a pair of headphones. I must say it does so very well , even K701 is driven effortlesly. I tried this with some of my other pre amps and no go, no power.
Thanks! I just ordered a cheap RCA to 6.3mm adapter from J&R. We'll see how things work with my gear. I'm not expecting anything wonderful, but it's worth a try.
Thanks! I just ordered a cheap RCA to 6.3mm adapter from J&R. We'll see how things work with my gear. I'm not expecting anything wonderful, but it's worth a try.
The place where a couple of people are using ME pre's to drive headphones (and they say better than any dedicated amp) is here:http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php
Today I received the RCA to 6.3mm adapter, and I can report good results with both 300 ohm and 32 ohm cans driven from the preamp outputs. With 300 ohms loudest tolerable listening level for orchestral music was about 12 o'clock on the attenuator. With 32 ohm phones it was more like 1 o'clock. Plenty of volume. Certainly better results than I was expecting. A setting of 9 or 10 o'clock will be more like it for most albums.
I don't have the necessary cable to connect with the computer, which has been my usual source, so I have been listening to SACD's and CD's. So far I am very pleased. Cable for the computer connection is on order.
Thanks for the help and encouragement! Maybe now I can start posting on the High End forum!
Can you guys give me a link to where i can buy these RCA to 6.3mm adapters from? What is confusing me is that there are 4 outputs in a stereo reciever which are R+ R- L+ L- . If i get a RCA adaptor it has only 2 points, meaning i can only plug it into either the right side or the left side. Can someone help please?
Common ground.....the R- and L- go to the same place, typically.
This is why I warned about making CERTAIN you have a common ground amplifier.
If you don't the above wiring will be career limiting for the amp.....ZAP.
If you bridge the returns on one of those Tripath amplifiers you will kill the amp and possibly kill your headphones at the same time. Running headphones from one requires thus, at a minimum, retermination of the headphone to a 4 conductor connector. Even then it may be inadvisable.
Duggeh is absolutely correct!! Do not try to adapt a T-amp to use a set of phones with a common ground (tip, ring, ground).
That said, re-terminating phones that have a 4-conductor cable and connecting them, properly phased, to a good quality T-amp will provide most of the benefits of a fully balanced amp, as both + and - outputs of a T-amp are actively driven.
The only real caveat is to make sure that your volume setting is low before powering up, as the T-amps output far more current that most headphones are able to handle at high volume settings. Just let your ears be your guide.
Most phones that have leads going to each earcup are 4-wire leads, with the grounds made common at the jack. I personally use the 5-pin mini-XLR jacks (using only the 4 outside pins) as they make a small, neat and sturdy connection. I can then use a common pigtail adapter to connect all of my phones to my amps.
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