extra input needed

[MarginWalker]

Hi,

I currently have an amptastic mini 1 amp with only 1 input. This has been fine for me as i listen almost exclusivley to vinyl but my wife has been asking me if she can listen to digital/streaming stuff through the hifi so i think i will need another input to avoid endless cable switching. Should i be looking at a passive pre or just a cheap switch box? Would the following set up work...

turntable >>> phono stage >>>
..............................................swit chbox/passive pre >>> headphone amp >>> amp
PC >>> DAC >>>

i think it should be ok but thought i should check with others more knowledgable before i try it.

Thanks,
MW

[struth]

A tisbury or similar will work well. passives work welk with amptastics.

[MarginWalker]

the attempted diagram to show the set up of my system didnt really work - basically i want to have the TT and the digital source going into the switchbox, and from there to my headphone amp which is daisychained to my amp.

Thanks, Grant - excuse my ignorance but what is the benefit of using a passive pre over a switchbox? Will i need to remove the volume pot from my amptastic if i have a passive pre?

[struth]

the attempted diagram to show the set up of my system didnt really work - basically i want to have the TT and the digital source going into the switchbox, and from there to my headphone amp which is daisychained to my amp.

Thanks, Grant - excuse my ignorance but what is the benefit of using a passive pre over a switchbox? Will i need to remove the volume pot from my amptastic if i have a passive pre?

you can move a link inside the amp to turn it into a power amp but you dont have to. you can also turn the vol on the tis to full effectively making it a switch box if you want. the passive will have better connections than a cheap switch box but obviously much depends on your budget. i didnt bother doing the link bit and mostly used it as a switch box but with an attenuator to level out the inputs. they are useful and well made for the money even new. better if you can pick one up second hand at about £70

[brian2957]

The Amptastic works very well with a powered preamp also . I used it with a Beresford Capella and it was excellent ( only single input unfortunately ) . I've also heard it with a Densen preamp and it is also very good indeed . If you're going to use it with any preamp the Amptastic sounds noticeably better with the volume pot disabled .

[MarginWalker]

Thanks both. I am tempted to try a passive pre to see what difference it makes to the sound, plus it will allow my wife to access her music from the laptop. Has anyone tried the Schiit Sys? Seems a bargain at £50.

[Beobloke]

Well, I've got one of these to help with extra inputs (although sadly, without the Nixie display unit) and can recommend it highly:Yamaha YSL-3 (http://home.comcast.net/~val58/ysu.htm)

You might consider this somewhat overkill, of course... :D

[walpurgis]

Well, I've got one of these to help with extra inputs (although sadly, without the Nixie display unit) and can recommend it highly:Yamaha YSL-3 (http://home.comcast.net/~val58/ysu.htm)

You might consider this somewhat overkill, of course... :D

Flash bugger! :D

[struth]

Seems slightly ott;)

[Nigel]

Beresford do a nice input selector box. I use one myself. Might be a bit overkill in this situation though.

http://www.beresford.me/S/tc-7240.htm