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Adding a headphone amp to a BAT preamp

I've been fooling around some with my headphone amp, and would like opinions on how to best use it with my BAT VK30 preamp. I have a phono stage, tuner, CDP, and cassette deck plugged into the various preamp inputs. I have balanced interconnect running from the main balanced preamp outputs to the balanced inputs on my amp. Since the cassette deck uses the tape output from the preamp, I tried plugging my Grado headphone amplifier into the unused RCA main pre-out. It works, but so do my speakers. I'd like to be able to throw my Senns on my head and effectively mute the preamp output to the speakers, controlling the volume to my headphones via the gain knob on the Grado headphone amp. I'm pretty sure there's a simple solution, I called BAT but they never returned my call. Can anyone help? Thanks, Jeff
jeffloistarca
8 responses Add your response
beemer
444 posts
 
Hello Jeff:

Have you considered turning off the amplifier to the speakers when you want to use the 'phones? That would be my solution. Simple and effective!

beemer
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Jeff, unfortunately the Grado RA-1 has no pass through RCAs (two sets) as the best place to put Grado is tape out of preamp, that way you can easily turn volume down on speakers when using headphone amp.

If you want to always have cassette deck connected I would get one of the various splitter RCA adaptors for tape out of preamp so cassette deck and Grado Ra-1 can both use tape out.

As Beemer stated you can turm amp off so no sound goes to speakers, but this may not be ideal as you may want to listen to speakers after headphones, and now amp needs to warm up. I would get RCA splitter.
jeffloistarca OP
1,004 posts
 
Turning the amp off isn't an attractive option; it's always on cuz it sounds best that way, and secondly, it's in the basement (below my source components) and I'd rather not go donwstairs to turn it off to use the 'phones. I'd rather avoid disconnecting the line outs to my tape deck and switching them to the Grado. Is there a quality RCA switcher I can get that doesn't seriously degrade the sound? Thanks, Jeff
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Jeff, I have never used them, people who bi-amp sometimes need them to connect two amps to one preamp. The big full line cable/connector companies like Monster Cable, Vampire etc should have two types available: 1)audio y adaptor which has 1 male RCA with very short "y" cable to 2 female RCA, this type may be necessary if you have crowded conditions with no room. 2)also have splitter/y adaptor all in one piece plug, this would be the best way if you have room to connect cables. Monster charges $15 for either model

Of course your local Radio Shack has them, if you use one piece plug gold plated maybe their is little sonic difference.
sqjudge
96 posts
 
There are some high quality switchers around. I have seen one at a custom home installer. You might want to consider making a one-in-two-out splitter out of some old unused IC cables. Just cut the cable and make a "Y" connection. Chris
dan2112
144 posts
 
Doesn't the VK-30 have a mute function? If it does hopefully it does not mute the pre-outs as well. - Dan
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Just checking out headrooms new site and noticed the are selling Vampire one piece RCA splitter plug, they recommend it for people with cassette deck already connected to preamp(like you) cost $30 pair, here is link:
http://207.66.131.158/headroom2/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=31
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Jeff, here is a better link with bigger picture of Vampire splitter: http://store.yahoo.com/headroom/oddsandends.html

Sorry for confusion, but Headroom now has 3 websites and each has different pictures/graphics....same price.
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