Headphone Amp Question

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HI......reading up on headphone amps has left me a little confused regarding the way they are connected. It appears that most are connected in a tape loop in the main amp but wouldnt it be better to have the input connected directly to the source (say a CD player) and the loop out connected to the main amp input?. Connected this way the main amp will not need to be on while using headphones. Will this work? Maybe I am completely confused about this but I am sure someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="raym87"]
HI......reading up on headphone amps has left me a little confused regarding the way they are connected. It appears that most are connected in a tape loop in the main amp
[/quote]

Correct

[quote user="raym87"]
wouldnt it be better to have the input connected directly to the source (say a CD player)
[/quote]

Ideally, yes. The shorter the signal path the better. Although this will mean a lot of faffing around plugging and unplugging interconnects, unless...

[quote user="raym87"]have the input connected directly to the source (say a CD player) and the loop out connected to the main amp input?. Connected this way the main amp will not need to be on while using headphones.[/quote]

I can't see any reason why this wouldn't work. However, don't try it until someone a bit more knowledgeable than me has also commented. It does strike me however that you'll need the headphone amp on even when you're not using it, and that the signal path to the amp is now longer. I guess it might depend if your priority is optimum sound through the headphones or optimum sound through the amp.

As I say, don't just take my word that this will actually work. It's quite possible that I'm overlooking something and that you might damage something. Comments anyone?
 

fatboyslimfast

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I concur with TB - as all the inputs/outputs (save for the headphone connection itself) are line level, then this shouldn't cause any problems. But as TB correctly says, putting the headphone amp inbetween the CD and the Amp may degrade the sound quality when playing through the speakers.

I would try it and see if any difference it makes is acceptable to you...
 
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Anonymous

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there is also a third option here. i have seen adaptors that allow you to connect two sets of rca leads into you source. obviously this may not be optimum for sound quality but would be rather convenient. another thing to consider is that if you dont connect the headphone amp directly to your source then you will have to buy another rca lead. might not be such a big problem but for me i would rather have one excellent quality rca cable than two good ones. it might be a pain swapping the cable between the headphone amp and your regular amp but for me the benefits in sound quality would outweigh this.
 
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Anonymous

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When connected to the amps tape out, does the signal go through any internal amp circuits or are the tape outs a direct connection to the normal amp in.

Do you have any recommendations for a suitable headphone amp.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="raym87"]When connected to the amps tape out, does the signal go through any internal amp circuits or are the tape outs a direct connection to the normal amp in.[/quote]
Not sure I understand your question exactly... the signal will inevitably have to travel through circuits to arrive at the tape out. Basically...
*anything which makes the connection between source and amp more complex / longer could degrade sound quality.
*unless you can tell the difference, it doesn't matter.

[quote user="raym87"]Do you have any recommendations for a suitable headphone amp.[/quote]
What's your budget and what are your 'phones?
 
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Anonymous

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Budget for amp is up to 250. I have a pair of sennheiser 650 bought for me as a present.

I will try and explain the question a bit better. I was asking if the tape out are an exact copy of the input. As you say, if the tape out goes through some circuitry then they are not. I understood ( probably wrongly) that tape outs were hot wired to the amp in's and therefore wouldnt go through any circuit.

If thats the case then the best input to a headphne amp would be direct from the source. Some headphone amps have loop outs that are directly wired to their inputs so would this be a better option, connect from source to headphone amp then to the main amp. It would mean another interconnect but there wont be anything other than that in the way of the signal.
 

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