Gatorized Caiman, my first impressions

[Werner Berghofer]

Mark,

i mean less than 600 ohms

I just plugged in my Beyerdynamic DT 990/600 Ω headphones. Even for this headphone my preferred setting of the volume knob would be at least the 3 o’clock position, but unfortunately that’s also the area where heavy distorsions start.

Werner.

[Reid Malenfant]

Well there is a bit of a double edge sword here imo. You see the Caiman headphone output can't swing a lot of voltage either as it's powered from a 12V rail & may well only be able to swing 8V peak to peak or less (at a guess). That won't result in a lot of power into a 600 ohm load.

I guess this is why you prefer a dedicated headphone amplifier

8V pk - pk will result in 13.3mW of power into a 600 ohm load, which is not a lot

[Werner Berghofer]

Mark,

it's powered from a 12V rail

well, my three StanDACs all are powered by 15 V PSUs, but I think this would not change very much in the scenario you described in a way that even a complete twit like me is able to understand.

I guess this is why you prefer a dedicated headphone amplifier

I have no idea about the underlying mysteries of electronics and physics, but yes, there’s a lot more power, muscle, foundation and sovereign grace in the may my headphone amplifier handles sudden changes in volume and dynamics, and although it is a tube-driven beast which develops a lot of heat when in use, the fine sharpness of detail and the sound textures it produces are just wonderful.

Thanks again for your lucid explanation, Mark!

Werner.

[Reid Malenfant]

There is an internal 12V regulator, which is where i was getting the 12V from, or should i say the op amp That is there to clean up the output from the 15V supply.

I think one of the most inovative headphone amps i have seen (which is rare as hens teeth) is a Krell KSA5. Effectively what you are buying is a pure class A 5W per channel (8 ohm) integrated amp with a single input.

That would supply all the current any pair of headphones would ever need (low impedance) & all the voltage any 600 ohm headphones would ever need.

If i was ever going to build a headphone amp, that is the way i'd do it