Headphone jack adaptor question.

Elizabeth,

(aka the "alien"-->your answer to the abduction thread was hilarious, btw!)

Thanks, I won't. I had wanted to somehow put the Dodson DAC in the chain. Right now, the only jack is on the output of the Onkyo, which is ok, but would have to be considered the system's weakest link. I own a Ramsey SHA-1 (or something like that) headphone amp, which I'd been running from the line level output on my Sony Discman. It USED to sound great to me, but with the acquisition of the Summits and the Dodson, it now sounds,...um.... less satisfactory, even with Sennheiser HD-600's. I own no suitable cassette deck either.

So NOW what do I do? I'm spoiled and want the same phenomenal sound, or at least close, from the headphones, but I'm also a cheapskate, and my wife will probably kill me (or at least give me a stern talking to) if I suggest sinking a few more grand into more "stuff."

Bill

Swampwalker,

Thanks for the tip. After looking on the Manufacturer List, I don't see ASL. Is there some information that you could help me find?

(Trying to decipher your handle, you don't work and/or live near the Everglades, do you?)

Thanks to all for the great ideas. Now there's another question: How can I verify that the output RCA on my preamp is really line level and not speaker level? Is there a testing device? (Excuse my ignorance here, please). Elizabeth has me thinking about exercising "caution."
Yet MORE questions for all you smart audiophiles (yes, I mean that, not being sarcastic):

Does anyone know, think, or have an opinion about whether either of the two devices recommended {{{(by Sfar and Swampwalker--thanks guys! :) }}}are better than the Ramsey SHA-1 headphone amp (this can be found at Ramsey Electronics and on ebay)?

Artizen65: Do you know whether that Radio Shack device is intended for line or speaker level outputs, and is it safe, given what Elizabeth said?

Thanks for the information! This is really great!

Artizen65,

Thanks for the tip. Would it also work to use the line level recording outputs from the tape loop on the preamp, going directly to the headphone amp, which has a volume control?

Swampwalker:

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that.

OK, I hooked up the Ramsey SHA 1 headphone amp to the preamp via the line level tape loop output, and..........it worked!!! (once I figured out that I hadn't turned the headphone amp on and THAT was why at first it sounded so faint and distorted, then I turned it on and voila.....what a ditz).

Anyway, now the Ramsey SHA 1 doesn't sound anywhere NEAR as good as it used to. I think a new thread is warranted to ask what headphone amp to buy. Or is it better to just go over to head fi and snoop around their threads????