What's the difference between a normal amp and a headphone amp?

[googleborg]

think i'm going to build a box that connects to my speaker outputs via hardwired banana plugs and lets me change out resistor values/(amplifier output imedance?) to whatever i like, perhaps using chopped up IC sockets to hold firm the resistor leads... shall give it a nice little headphone socket too

should cost all of a pub dinner

this would be a good idea to 'impendance match' headphones to an/any amplifier? even high quality resistors are really cheap because they are just...resistors... was looking at that hificollective site and those top of the line stepped volume controls use resistors, so much for resistors damaging the sound :/

 

[Mannymax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by googleborg /img/forum/go_quote.gif think i'm going to build a box that connects to my speaker outputs via hardwired banana plugs and lets me change out resistor values/(amplifier output imedance?) to whatever i like, perhaps using chopped up IC sockets to hold firm the resistor leads... shall give it a nice little headphone socket too should cost all of a pub dinner this would be a good idea to 'impendance match' headphones to an/any amplifier? even high quality resistors are really cheap because they are just...resistors... was looking at that hificollective site and those top of the line stepped volume controls use resistors, so much for resistors damaging the sound :/

tell you another thing you will get with going through the speaker out route and thats being able to experiment with different cables, ask anyone who has experimented with different cables to loudspeakers, the sound some cables produce make your system sound completely different, almost like you were listening to a different system, rather than upgrading to a new amp, you can simply experiment with the very best cables out there as you will only need a few feet, couple that with experimenting with different resisters and think you might have a good recipe for some really dynamic sounds thats not gonna cost the earth to achieve.

I'm surprised there has not been more feedback on this post from dedicated headphone amplifier owners.

 

[googleborg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mannymax /img/forum/go_quote.gif tell you another thing you will get with going through the speaker out route and thats being able to experiment with different cables, ask anyone who has experimented with different cables to loudspeakers, the sound some cables produce make your system sound completely different, almost like you were listening to a different system, rather than upgrading to a new amp, you can simply experiment with the very best cables out there as you will only need a few feet, couple that with experimenting with different resisters and think you might have a good recipe for some really dynamic sounds thats not gonna cost the earth to achieve. I'm surprised there has not been more feedback on this post from dedicated headphone amplifier owners.

you make a good point there, if i was to experiment with different speaker cables, the resolution of headphones could be a very good way of hearing the differences and as you say, i'd only need a few feet for both channels

personally i've never noticed a difference, but the cost required to mess about with a few kinds of cable here would be tiny

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSCF0590.jpg
i use this right now, cheap, very flexible and bendy, and certainly does the job

 

[Mannymax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by googleborg /img/forum/go_quote.gif you make a good point there, if i was to experiment with different speaker cables, the resolution of headphones could be a very good way of hearing the differences and as you say, i'd only need a few feet for both channels personally i've never noticed a difference, but the cost required to mess about with a few kinds of cable here would be tiny http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSCF0590.jpg i use this right now, cheap, very flexible and bendy, and certainly does the job

Any cable will do the job of giving you a signal, however, many are just not up to the job of making music, there is a very big difference that cables make to the sound of your system, no affence to your cable choice, but a few years ago, tried the same cable as you and was not the best cable in the world for dinamics.

It sounds like your into a bit of DIY, look up a site i discovered a few years ago, making speaker cables out of CAT5 computer wire

DIY Cat5 Speaker Cables

after having gone down the very expensive route of varius speaker cables, even had some solid silver chord rumours cables that i paid hundreds for and did not like the sound they produced at all, so sold them. Stumbled accross the above site and made my own Cat5 cables, bloody brilliant, but a pain to make in lengths of several meters, if you were to make a short cable, it would be easy.

 

[googleborg]

ha!

so tempting to stick a glowing neon wire in there ;P

cat5 cable is cheap as heck, infact i can likely get it for free *ahem* i'll put it on my todo list for sure

looks like it will take me some time to make it correctly haha.

tbh the only thing i don't like about this cable is that it's rather large, i think it's meant for studio use (yes the name gave it away ) and it would be fantastic there 'cos it's so bendy and coilable.

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK fair enough, I had a look on the map, Gorokan’s a nice part of the world. I might have to chuck the Beta22 and HD800 in the car, come up and give you a taste of the sweet life You just let me know pp312.

Well, you wouldn't want to see my room, I can tell you that!

(Incidentally, I lived at Katoomba for many years, and there are far worse places than the Blue Mountains!)

As for the HD800 (putting aside amps for the moment), I've been vaccillating on that one. The price is horrendous, and I've been concerned about reports of over-brightness (I currently have the 650). On the other hand I'm now 63 and have been an audiophile since I was 16 and a headphone user for almost as long, and as I'm now suffering from tinnitus and may not have too many more years of good listening left, it seems a shame not to have reached my goal at the end of such a long road (assuming the 800 is the goal, which for me it may very well not be).

In any case I'd be very interested in hearing your reaction to the 800, dedicated amp or not. Have you posted any thoughts here? My main concern is that I listen to classical/orchestral and the 650, whatever else its faults, gives me a good representation of what I hear in the concert hall, at least as regards tonal balance. If the 800 is significantly brighter, and from comments it appears to be, I can't see how that accurate balance can be maintained. Any thoughts on this?