Connecting it all up!

[IanL1962]

Ok, first of the newbie questions, and apologies if it’s in the wrong forum!

I’m seeking advice as to the best (or optimum) way of connecting my kit. I currently do most of my listening via a dedicated headphone amp, but also need to have the option to use speakers when required. As a result I have my CD connected to my amp, and the headphone amp connected to the tape loop – I can thus listen to the headphone amp with the amp turned off, and turn the amp on for speaker use. Out of curiosity, if it plays through with the amp turned off would a better quality amp make any difference to SQ?

I now want to throw a DAC (Bushmaster) into the equation – I assume that the CD now connects to the DAC using an optical or coax connection, and the DAC out to the amp’s CD or Aux terminals? Or is there another way of doing it? I know that the DAC also has a headphone socket so I’ll compare the two before deciding if the headphone amp can go.

Any advice welcomed!

[synsei]

The DAC can indeed be connected to CD or AUX inputs or any other RCA input on the back of your amp except 'Phono' if it has one. As for your first question, I'll leave that to someone more technically proficient than I

[Reid Malenfant]

I’m seeking advice as to the best (or optimum) way of connecting my kit. I currently do most of my listening via a dedicated headphone amp, but also need to have the option to use speakers when required. As a result I have my CD connected to my amp, and the headphone amp connected to the tape loop – I can thus listen to the headphone amp with the amp turned off, and turn the amp on for speaker use. Out of curiosity, if it plays through with the amp turned off would a better quality amp make any difference to SQ?

Assuming you wire things the same way, the only difference would occur due to the quality of the phono connectors, any PCB that falls in the tape loop & the switches used

So the answer is yes...

While I don't intend to keep on plugging a certain Mr Beresford kit, he does make one of the very best quality switch boxes out there. Credit where it's due

Might save you buying a new amplifier, worth thinking about I reckon

[IanL1962]

Cheers Dave, Mark,

Reassuring to know that it's all connected properly, I do worry about these things!

Gave the Bushmaster a cursory 10 minute listen last night, mainly to make sure I'd connected it properly. I've only got a cheapo £5 optical cable - my replacement TC-3617 from Stanley B is hopefully being delivered today, so a more extensive listen is planned for the weekend. I don't particularly want to listen with the cheapo cable and have initial impressions coloured!

[bobbasrah]

Gave the Bushmaster a cursory 10 minute listen last night, mainly to make sure I'd connected it properly. I've only got a cheapo £5 optical cable - my replacement TC-3617 from Stanley B is hopefully being delivered today, so a more extensive listen is planned for the weekend. I don't particularly want to listen with the cheapo cable and have initial impressions coloured!

Why?
By listening with the original, it will at least give some impression of what difference the replacement brings to the table, assuming of course that the DAC is settled down into it's stride. Sort of sets a benchmark if you can forgive the pun.

[IanL1962]

Why?
By listening with the original, it will at least give some impression of what difference the replacement brings to the table, assuming of course that the DAC is settled down into it's stride. Sort of sets a benchmark if you can forgive the pun.

Hi bobbasrah,

I get what you mean - I suppose I wanted to get the 'revelation straight out of the box' effect that has been mentioned. I was slightly underwhelmed using the cheapo cable (bass seemed quieter/deeper in the mix) so I'm hoping the replacement will open everything up - I appreciate that it'll benefit from running-in too. Lots of listening to do!

[IanL1962]

Well, it looks as if the headphone amp is destined to be relegated to non-playing duties. The headphone out on the DAC is clearly better than the HA in current set-up mode (connected via tape loop), and SQ is improving by the day as running-in progresses (it’s been happily playing ‘Out of the Blue’ on repeat since 8.00 pm last night and had another 24 hour run-in session last week) – I haven’t compared connecting the HA to the DAC though (something I do intend to try) as this will leave me speaker-less again. If there’s no improvement then the HA will be back in it’s box. However, if it does, would one of Stan’s switch boxes work, and if so, how would it all be connected up?

Wish I’d discovered Stan’s Bushmaster 8 weeks ago, it would have saved me £90…..