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Headphone amp connection

Hello all,

So I am thinking about adding a headphone amp to my set up.  Nothing too fancy, something like a Schiit Audio Asgard to power some HiFiMan HE400S headphones.  My question is what is the best way to wire up the headphone amp?  The was I see it I have two choices with my equipment.  I could wire the fixed output from my Rogue preamp to the headphone amp or wire it directly from my Jolida JD100 cdp.  The Jolida has two sets of rca outputs and the Rogue has a set of variable outputs plus a set of fixed outputs.  I'm thinking the fixed outputs from the Rogue might be to hot for the headphone amp to handle.  But hooked up this way allows me to use any source and give me remote volume control.  What do you guys think is the best way to go?
tommy583

Showing 2 responses by mikelavigne

mikelavigne
2,206 posts
 
most headphone amps have their own volume attenuation. but few have remotes. so whether you want to use a remote or not, which might depend on how close you sit to the headphone amp, will determine whether you use a variable output from your preamp, or a fixed output. if you use a variable output, this means likely you need to disconnect your preamp to amp interconnects to use the headphones.

make sense?

and your speaker amplifier will be out of the loop when using a headphone amplifier.

in a perfect world your Rogue preamp has a fixed output which you can use into the headphone amp, which has it’s own volume control. that will eliminate any plugging and unplugging interconnects.
mikelavigne
2,206 posts
 
back 10 years ago when i had my Playback Designs digital, and my darTZeel preamp, i had a BHSE headphone amp and Stax 009 headphones. you would think that the Playback Designs would sound better direct to the BHSE, but it did not work that way. the sound was more microdynamic and refined through the darts fixed output than direct.

go figure.

never underestimate the drive and grip of a top level preamp.

OTOH there are less performing preamps that might not work that same way. you have to try it both ways to see what you get. lots of variables that figure into what sounds best. or maybe you won't be able to hear any difference.
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