[FIJI]

Hi. Someone loaned me their Sugden Headmaster. I have it hooked up to my Rotel cd player and for some reason it sounds like everything is in mono? Recording that have a guitar, for example, in the left channel now sound like the guitar is right in the middle. Things don't pan from left to right like they should. Anyway, I visited the Sugden website and saw that the headphone jack is switched stereo output. What exactly is switched stereo and is this why things sound like they are in mono? I just find it hard to believe that a headphone amp would purposely get rid of the stereo separation. Is this normal for this amp or is there something wrong with it? Thanks!

 

[Pixel Pusher]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the “switched stereo headphone output” means once the headphones are connected to the headphone socket output, the pre-amp out is switched off.

BTW “sounds like everything in mono” is definitely not the norm, unfortunately I don't have any answers for this.

 

[FIJI]

thanks for your reply! i'm still hoping someone else might have a little more info. on the subject.

 

[Jahvetti]

As far as i know, there is no such thing as mono switch on Sugden Headmaster. Is the head phone's plug all the way into the socket? Unless the Headmaster is faulty, I would suggest there is something wrong with the source or wiring. Are you using some kind of adaptors?

 

[Pixel Pusher]

I supposed it wouldn't hurt to also suggest the obvious of checking the polarity of your components. And if you are using directional ICs, that the arrows should be pointing towards the HeadMaster. Even if your ICs are not directional, it's best to hook up and use your ICs in the original direction of break in. I've heard some weird things in the past when accidently reversing the direction.

 

[daycart1]

Right, the Headmaster was once one of the supreme head amps. Do your headphones sound mono with other amps?

 

[FIJI]

No. I also have the micro amp and everything sounds fine out of it. Still wondering what exactly switched stereo is :/

 

[Jahvetti]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pixel Pusher “switched stereo headphone output” means once the headphones are connected to the headphone socket output, the pre-amp out is switched off.

You have it there.

 

[FIJI]

cool. i've seen the term "switched stereo" used in other contexts, though, (unrelated to a preamp being switched off) so that's why I was curious. I did a couple searches on the web as to what switched stereo was and couldn't find any clear cut definitions. I did see things like "switched stereo->mono" for example. I wonder if that's what's happening here. I wish someone knew for sure :/

 

[Jahvetti]

Well, Headmaster does not have anything related to stereo/mono-functions. It is a stereo headphone amplifier. Unless you have such a function enabled at your source, or the wiring is plugged in a wrong way, it should give you stereo sound.

On a basis of the information given by you, it is quite difficult to decide what is causing this. It would help if you described the systen and the problem more specifically.

 

[FIJI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahvetti Well, Headmaster does not have anything related to stereo/mono-functions. It is a stereo headphone amplifier. Unless you have such a function enabled at your source, or the wiring is plugged in a wrong way, it should give you stereo sound. On a basis of the information given by you, it is quite difficult to decide what is causing this. It would help if you described the systen and the problem more specifically.

hmm. The source is a Rotel RCD-9408x cd player. From the back of the cd player I have the 2 analog output interconnects, left/right going into the left/right input on the back of the amp. I have tried all 3 inputs on the back of the amp. My headphones are k701's. I'll use the song that I noticed the problem as my example. In Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" the guitar at the beginning is clearly supposed to be playing through the right channel/headphone. However, when I play the song through the Rotel/Headmaster the guitar at the beginning plays equally through both right and left headphones so it sounds like it's right in the middle. I don't know if that is what you meant when you asked me to describe the system and problem more specifically, but I hope that helps. If not let me know what else you would like to know. Thanks!

 

[Jahvetti]

This was most helpful.

Seems that there is something wrong with the Headmaster.

 

[FIJI]

It's not mine, but still...

 

[FIJI]

Also I've pretty much confirmed that there is something going on with the amp and not the source by doing the following: the cd player is putting out stereo sound...there are 3 inputs on the back of the amp so i hooked left channel to input 1 and right channel to input 2. The guitar in the song I mentioned before ONLY plays in the right channel at the beginning so if i flipped back and forth between input 1 and 2 i could hear the guitar w/ input 2 (right channel only input) but not with input 1 (left channel only input) BUT when it was playing through input 2 (right channel only as input from cd player) i could clearly hear the guitar playing in both of my headphones when it should have only been playing in the right. Sorry for the long and probably run-on sentence.

 

[Jahvetti]

It looks like the headphone plug is mono. Is the headphone connector on the amp working properly? Is it taking the plug firmly in? Also are you hearing absolut silence on the input 1? Are you using a faulty extension cable on your headphones?