iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 1402 times.

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« on: 25 Jan 2018, 05:55 am »
I know. I know. Your reaction was, "You did WHAT??"

I board my flight back to the PNW in 9 hours and my wife wants to be able to listen to music through the speakers. She's a techno-phobe and I worry she'll destroy something. [I'm not patronizing her. She really hasn't learned to control any of my systems - IDA-8 included!  :duh:]

I used an earbud to RCA connector straight into the ST-10's RCA in. It makes music, but the signal is a bit weak, so it's not very loud. Will this cause any damage to the ST-10?

Thanks for any help.

Michael

JackD

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1397
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #1 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:00 am »
So your using the iPad as the preamp and streamer?

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #2 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:06 am »
Yup.

JackD

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1397
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #3 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:10 am »
Don't see how it would hurt anything just not enough voltage to drive to decent levels.  It's probably not putting out even a half a volt.  See if you can find the headphone output voltage in the iPad specs. 

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #4 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:32 am »
This is probably a good time to get a tube buffer or WR100D or ??? to be placed between the iPad and the amp to increase the signal, yes? [Dunno if I used the correct names for what should be used, but you get the idea.] :thumb:

Thanks, JackD!


gregfisk

  • Restricted
  • Posts: 1349
  • Us alone in the universe? sure is a waste of SPACE
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #5 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:40 am »
Michael,

You won't hurt anything, just not much volume like you mention. A buffer will boost the gain for you which is what you need to get more volume.

See Ya,

Greg

JackD

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1397
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #6 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:44 am »
Didn't you take the DAC-9 with you so you could bring the DS back to pair with the new tube amp? The gain from it would probably solve most of the problem as I imagine the output voltage from the iPad is about like a MC cartridge.  Then you wouldn't need to buy anything additional unless you can get a buffer over their for cheap.

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #7 on: 25 Jan 2018, 07:05 am »
Thanks, Greg.

Jack,

The DAC-9 is in Oregon, but it may return to Taiwan with me in 5 weeks or so....still deciding. I’m going to bring a new amp back as well. It ought to be ready in a couple weeks. The DS preamp is already packed in its closed cell foam cocoon and extra padding in a hard shelled suitcase.


JackD

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1397
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #8 on: 25 Jan 2018, 07:26 am »
Just based on family synergy I would thing the DAC-9/ST-10 combo would be similar to the 10 combo I am running and Don's gear would be the same way.  I tried the ST-10 with multiple preamps and it sounds the best with it's family partner.  Next best match for the ST-10 was the W4S STP-SE which is similar in design principals. 

Wind Chaser

Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #9 on: 25 Jan 2018, 06:31 pm »
If I were to try such a thing, I’d strongly recommend having all the connections secured in place before turning the power on. Make certain the iPads VC is muted before you turn the amp on. I wouldn’t expect much in the way of SQ with an arrangement.

gregfisk

  • Restricted
  • Posts: 1349
  • Us alone in the universe? sure is a waste of SPACE
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #10 on: 25 Jan 2018, 11:03 pm »
If I were to try such a thing, I'd strongly recommend having all the connections secured in place before turning the power on. Make certain the pads VC is muted before you turn the amp on. I wouldn't expect much in the way of SQ with an arrangement.

Well, the IDA-8 has a volume control so as long as it's turned down... I'm pretty sure Michael is going to want/have to have the volume on the ipad all the way up. As long as the power is off when hooking things up, just like any other equipment all should be fine. As far as sound quality who knows? It is for his Wife while he's away so maybe not a huge deal.

JackD

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1397
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #11 on: 25 Jan 2018, 11:14 pm »
But the ST-10 which is what he is connecting it to does not.

gregfisk

  • Restricted
  • Posts: 1349
  • Us alone in the universe? sure is a waste of SPACE
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #12 on: 26 Jan 2018, 03:21 am »
But the ST-10 which is what he is connecting it to does not.

Oops :duh: I new Michael had an Ida-8 and saw it mentioned above. Then I didn't reread before posting this morning. I didn't know you had a ST-10 Michael :dunno:.

It would be a good idea to power down everything before connecting then, just to be safe. 

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #13 on: 26 Jan 2018, 08:47 am »
No worries, all.

The ST-10 is just fine with the iPad acting as source and streamer. It makes music. My wife doesn’t care if it isn’t awesome sound quality since she doesn’t care about that.

I’m already back in the PNW, so no one is going to change the set up until I return in 5 weeks.

I keep hoping her ear will develop an appreciation for better sound, but she’s still very happy with $40 computer speakers.

rustydoglim

Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #14 on: 31 Jan 2018, 08:09 pm »
For all the women that I have been with (don't ask how many  :nono:), all of them can tell the difference. Most of them have very good ear, but none of them care to listen to better sound.  They listen with their heart and mind, not with their ears. :lol:

Wind Chaser

Re: iPad Direct Connection to ST-10 okay? Danger??
« Reply #15 on: 31 Jan 2018, 09:31 pm »
I keep hoping her ear will develop an appreciation for better sound, but she’s still very happy with $40 computer speakers.

Oh the irony, she probably can hear better than you and doesn't suffer from tinnitus either.  :lol: