I want to use my headphones-help please!

[Pigmy Pony]

Hi guys,

I have not been able to use my headphones with my current set-up, and was wondering what I could do about this.

System is Densen Beat B-400+ CD player and Audion Siver Night stereo power amp. I'm only concerned with using the 'phones with CD player' and maybe I could use my Amazon Echo 'Dot' which is currently connected to my a/v amp. I'm not bothered about using 'phones when playing records.

I am looking for minimum faff (having to plug/unplug cables), no degradation of sound (if possible) when using CD player to amp and speakers, and for not much outlay (less than £100). Is this possible?

Any suggestions and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Lawrence001]

What are the headphones? Some headphone amps have a tape loop type pass through eg the MF xcans v3 I used to use so you can just stick it between the CDP and amp. Or to reduce signal path in the main system, does your amp have a tape out you can then plug any headphone amp in there? (I did find the MF to be bass light though hence my question, or more generally the £100 may limit you with some harder to drive headphones). Lastly you could use the digital out of your cdp to a dac/amp like the Beresford and keep the analogue out for your main amp.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[jandl100]

Easy.
Use the digital output from the CD player into one of these ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/SD793-II-PCM1793-DIR9001-Digital-amplifier-black/dp/B00A2QLPJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520100472&sr=8-1&keywords=smsl+sd793ii

[mikmas]

The Densen has two sets of line outputs so simple enough to hook up a headphone amp to the one you aren't using.
Plenty of them available under £100 - I used to use a Music Fidelity V-CAN that I picked up for about that price, very good it was too.

[Pigmy Pony]

Thanks guys, the Densen does indeed have two sets of line out, so I will now be looking around for a headphone amp.

If anyone out there has something to sell that fits my measly budget I'd be very interested.

By the way Lawrence, my headphones are AKG K550, which are closed back, and I think give a decent amount of bass.

[Mike Reed]

Have to ask, but why d'you want to listen exclusively to your CDP on cans? I have all my sources (CDP,vinyl,tuner & TV) accessible on my Senn's.

Probably out of stock now, but the recent sell-off of the Myryad can amp. for a quarter of its original r.r.p.(around £100) was an opportunity to have extra inputs, output, 2 cans and a fine amp. to boot.

[Pigmy Pony]

Hi Mike,

The only reason for not being bothered about playing vinyl through headphones is the position of all the stuff in my lounge, in that the turntable is just below the TV. I may only use headphones while her indoors is watching TV, and if I have to stand in front of telly every 20 minutes to change record, she'll have a right face on her!

However, I was really intrigued by the Myryad amp you mentioned. My Audion Siver Night is actually a power amp, and only has one input, which means swapping interconnect when switching between CD and vinyl. This Myryad looks like it would make life a bit easier for me, and it looks nicely put together.

Anyway, I went on Peter Tyson's website, and they still have it for sale, at £94, so I've ordered one. Can't wait!

Thank you all for your suggestions.

[Mike Reed]

Excellent, Steve. I'm surprised they still have some. I paid more than that, but I wanted black. I'm very impressed by mine on all counts but one; you have to remove the cans to re-route the signal to the amp. A minor point, and am not sure how it would affect you (presumably the same way).

It also has a gain switch on the rear, which should be helpful to match to your amp. relative to the impedance/efficiency of your cans. Suggest you have a re-think about your record player's placement, though; that's not good news where you have it.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yes, the one I've ordered is silver (all the black ones have gone). I'm not bothered about this, although Mrs P may take a different view when she sees it, especially after making me spend an obscene amount to get the Zu speakers done in piano gloss black, and persuading the good people at inspire to finish the Monarch in a really dark walnut finish (a first for them).

That aside, I think the Z40 will be perfect for what I need. I will of course connect it to phono, but will mostly be used when her indoors is outdoors :)

Just two more sleeps before it gets here! It's funny how we get so excited about little things.

[Pigmy Pony]

Well, this is a bit disappointing.

After waiting for nine days for this headphone amp, we emailed Peter Tyson to find out when it was likely to arrive. They told us the product was out of stock (why was it still on their website?) and so they were refunding my money (why could they not have told us sooner?)

I would rate this service as being the wrong side of piss-poor, but I guess there are more important things to be bothered about.

Onwards and upwards! :)

[jandl100]

Poo. That is crap service.

I've a SMSL SD793ii you can borrow, if you like.
Small box but powerful output.
It's only got digital inputs, though - RCA and TOSLINK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SD793-II-PCM1793-DIR9001-Digital-amplifier-black/dp/B00A2QLPJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521140636&sr=8-1&keywords=smsl+sd793ii

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41a-5C3dvaL.jpg
http://images.cecompass.com/productimages/A/AMP_SMSL_SD793II_BLK/AMP_SMSL_SD793II_BLK_C.jpg

[Pigmy Pony]

Thank you for your kind offer Jerry, which may be the way to go for me, but since I've learned what the Myryad amp can do (four inputs, enabling connection of CD, Phono, etc and use as a preamp too), I'm going to spend a little time trying to source one first.

My Audion Silver Night is not an integrated, but a single input power amp with a volume control. This means plugging and unplugging leads each time I want to change source, and the Myryad would enable me to select sources without having to do this. My only concern is whether chucking the Myryad into the audio chain would degrade the sound, but my cloth ears probably wouldn't notice.

I have a question for you though. My CD player has a digital out that looks like a single RCA socket-does a single phono lead go from this to the one on your DAC?

You will have guessed by now that I'm a complete numpty with things technical, and if you can spot any holes in my ideas I would welcome your wise words.

[struth]

thats a spdif digial coaxial 75 ohm rca cable it takes.. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=digital+coaxial+rca+75+ohm+cable&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjy85STme_ZAhWIAsAKHeaZA9MQ_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=686#spd=13056543294381637092

[jandl100]

I have a question for you though. My CD player has a digital out that looks like a single RCA socket-does a single phono lead go from this to the one on your DAC?


Looking at the User Manual for your Densen CD player online, I think it is a BNC digital output socket, for which you will need a small adapter to use with a standard RCA phono cable.
Happily, I can supply one of those. :)

But if you now fancy full multi-input pre-amp functionality, then you will need to look elsewhere.

[Pigmy Pony]

Thank you guys. I thinks it's time I dragged my luddite ass into the 21st century, so I would like to take you up on your offer to loan me your DAC, Jerry.

I may then be able to get into some streaming too, but my brain can only handle learning one thing per day, and I've used up today's quota reading your posts :scratch:

[jandl100]

No problem, Steve.
I've had a clearout of my PM box so I no longer have your name & address.
Please remind me by PM!