Questions about DACs and headphone amps

jdp1962

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My current system is made up of a Marantz PM6003, fed by a Marantz CD6003 and a Denon TU1800DAB tuner. Speakers are Wharefedale Diamond 10.2s, and for private listening, I have a pair of Grado SR80s connected to the amp's headphone out.

I've read a lot about the benefits of the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic for improving the quality of digital music files before sending them to the amp. My question is whether there would be any meaningful benefit in sound quality if I were to add a DAC Magic to my system, and feed the digital signals from the CD6003 and TU1800DAB into it and then on to the amp via the DAC Magic's analogue out.

The other possible change I might make is to use a dedicated headphone amp for private listening. The question I have then, is how to integrate it into the existing system. Do I have to disconnect a source from the main amp and reconnect to the headphone amp directly - and vice versa afterwards? Or could I run an analogue interconnect from one of the main amp's line-outs into the headphone amp, and leave everything else in place?

Jeff
 

idc

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Hi Jeff. Firstly, you can kill two birds with one stone and get a headphone amp/DAC combined. Some like the Beresford are DACs with a headphone amp and others such as Firestone Audio are headphone amps with DACs. The emphasis is more down to the actual manufacturer.

Secondly, headphone amps connect in various ways depending on which one and the amp it connects to, so they can either either piggy back the amp using the tape loop and four phonos or just one of the tape in/out or a spare phono.
 

jdp1962

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idc:
Hi Jeff. Firstly, you can kill two birds with one stone and get a headphone amp/DAC combined. Some like the Beresford are DACs with a headphone amp and others such as Firestone Audio are headphone amps with DACs. The emphasis is more down to the actual manufacturer.

Secondly, headphone amps connect in various ways depending on which one and the amp it connects to, so they can either either piggy back the amp using the tape loop and four phonos or just one of the tape in/out or a spare phono.

That's interesting to know, thanks; I'll look into those. But still there's the question of whether a standalone DAC will deliver a worthwhile improvement to my Marantz combo? Any thoughts, anyone?
 

idc

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I can't help you there as I have not heard your kit. There are mixed reports of buying DACs and headphone amps as upgrades over those already in existing amps and CDPs. How much you use your headphones is a good indication of how much to spend and whether it is worthwhile or not.
 

jdp1962

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In the end, I decided not to bother with a DAC. I don't use non hi-fi sources such as a PC or MP3 player, so I couldn't see the benefit over the on board DACs in the CD player & DAB tuner

But I was still taken with the idea of a headphone amp, and today, I picked up a Pro-ject Headbox II on the Bay for fifty three of my English pounds. I figure even if it doesn't provide a noticeable improvement over my main amp's headphone socket, I can always sell it on and probably get my money back.

But I do expect it to be an improvement, and look forward to it arriving laterthis week.
 

Sizzers

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jdp1962:
In the end, I decided not to bother with a DAC. I don't use non hi-fi sources such as a PC or MP3 player, so I couldn't see the benefit over the on board DACs in the CD player & DAB tuner

But I was still taken with the idea of a headphone amp, and today, I picked up a Pro-ject Headbox II on the Bay for fifty three of my English pounds. I figure even if it doesn't provide a noticeable improvement over my main amp's headphone socket, I can always sell it on and probably get my money back.

But I do expect it to be an improvement, and look forward to it arriving laterthis week.

Plug your phones in to the CDP instead - far better.
 

Sizzers

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Jun 20, 2008
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jdp1962:
In the end, I decided not to bother with a DAC. I don't use non hi-fi sources such as a PC or MP3 player, so I couldn't see the benefit over the on board DACs in the CD player & DAB tuner

But I was still taken with the idea of a headphone amp, and today, I picked up a Pro-ject Headbox II on the Bay for fifty three of my English pounds. I figure even if it doesn't provide a noticeable improvement over my main amp's headphone socket, I can always sell it on and probably get my money back.

But I do expect it to be an improvement, and look forward to it arriving laterthis week.

Plug your phones in to the CDP instead - far better.
 

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