Dont Overlook Your Pre-Amp Headphone Out!!

adydula · « **on:** 26 Jun 2014, 01:43 pm »

For the past few months I have been building a new headphone amp, the ODA from AGDR at DIYAUDIO.COM.
It is a wonderful amp, fully documented at DIYAUDIO and my build here in another thread...

For the past few days I have been working on my HT pc and sound etc and remembered I have a headphone out in my wonderful AVA Van Alstine Pre-amp.

Many months, a few years ago I remember asking Frank about the amp in this preamp. He did mention it worked very well with his Grados etc....and I did listen to it many months ago and it was pretty decent.

Getting bit by the lets try other stuff bug and liking DIY I have drifted away from listening to the pre-amp head section.

For the past few days I plugged in my Beyer T90's in the preamp and am listening to flacs from my HT PC to a HRT MSii+ asynch DAC to the preamp.

I was astonished and amazed at how well the pre-amps head section works.

Very detailed and unveiled sound, the synergy with these 250 ohm T90s are exquisite....the layering, separation on well mastered and recorded tracks are simply astounding.

I am going to play around with some other dacs (ODAC) and see how if anything sounds different to me here....

I guess the point of this post is if you have stuff lying around that has a headphone out jack, try it!!

It just might make you SMILE!!

All the best
Alex

Rocket · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 04:05 am »

Hi Alex,

I know your post is quite old but I thought I would respond anyway. Glad you like the Van Alstine headphone section in your preamplifier. I bought a Red Wine Audio Isabella preamplifier that has balanced output and I have finally ordered a headphone cable which is compatible with my Sennheiser hd650's.

How is the objective 02 headphone amplifier going that you built?

Cheers Rod

borism · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 12:54 pm »

Hi Alex and Rod,
Unfortunately, my gear didn't have a headphone output. So, when I received Sennheiser 650s as a birthday gift, I also went the DIY route and built a Bottlehead Crack amplifier. I just finished the build this weekend. It sounds great, but most of all there is pleasure in having built something oneself.
Boris

2gumby2 · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 01:11 pm »

The headphone out on my Marantz DV-9500 is outstanding with my Beyerdynamic T51p headphones.

hibuckhobby · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 02:16 pm »

There is a very sweet synergy between the Bottlehead Crack and both the HD600 and HD650.
After a bit of tube rolling, I've felt no need to change amplification even though I do have
some more powerful and expensive amps on hand.
Hibuck....

borism · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 03:40 pm »

Hibuck,
That's why I went with the Bottlehead Crack. Did you get the speedball upgrade and what do you think?
As I am typing this, can't believe the names they chose for this gear!
Boris

adydula · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 04:31 pm »

Hey Rocket..

Good to hear from you.

Yes the Van Alstine Pre-Amp put is indeed excellent to me after 2 yrs of mucking around with lots of cans, amps, dace and receivers.

The O2's I have (one DIY,) are still being used but not nearly as much as the ODA I built that was designed as a improved O2 by AGDR over at DIYAudio. It is my standard, and its very nice to have all the little extras it provides plus the excellent specs, and power.

Its my main amp that I use along with the ODAC and HRT MSii+ Dac.

I am thinking of building another ODA, they are rare animals due to the SMD DIY stuff... but there are a half dozen or so out here in the wild.

All the best and Merry Christmas!
Alex

adydula · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Dec 2014, 04:32 pm »

To all:

I haven't heard the Bottlehead amps but sure would like to!\

Alex

Rocket · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Dec 2014, 08:07 am »

Hi Guys,

Boris, glad that you like the Bottlehead Crack and you enjoyed the DIY build. I'd like to build one myself but I don't know if I could build it. I did listen to one a few months ago but it was only briefly. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD650's that I use with my objective 02 headphone amplifier. I really like them.

Alex, glad the ODA worked out well for you. I really admire your ability to DIY build your own headphone amplifier. Happy Xmas.

Cheers Rod

ps. I've got a JDS Labs C5D coming my way for Xmas.

Guy 13 · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Dec 2014, 08:52 am »

Quote from: Rocket on 9 Dec 2014, 08:07 am

Hi Guys,

Boris, glad that you like the Bottlehead Crack and you enjoyed the DIY build. I'd like to build one myself but I don't know if I could build it. I did listen to one a few months ago but it was only briefly. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD650's that I use with my objective 02 headphone amplifier. I really like them.

Alex, glad the ODA worked out well for you. I really admire your ability to DIY build your own headphone amplifier. Happy Xmas.

Cheers Rod

ps. I've got a JDS Labs C5D coming my way for Xmas.

Hi Rod.
You are referring to my Bottlehead Crack when you said that you have listen to one a few months ago but it was only briefly.
Well, if you want, you can listen to mine (Again) as long as you want,
you only have to come on planet Vietnam and I will pay the beer.

Guy 13

Rocket · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Dec 2014, 01:47 am »

Hi Guy,

I would like to have spent more time listening to you Crack headphone amplifier and Sennheiser hd650's when I visited you in Saigon. However, based on my experience listening to your Sennheiser HD650's I also bought a pair for a ridiculously cheap price. I've just ordered a 4 pin XLR cable so I can use the headphone out on my Red Wine Audio. I'm hoping that it sounds spectacular. Did you upgrade your Crack to speedball?

I'd like to have another visit with you in Saigon but I'm not sure whether my timing will suit your movements.

Cheers Rod

Guy 13 · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Dec 2014, 02:04 am »

Quote from: Rocket on 14 Dec 2014, 01:47 am

Hi Guy,

I would like to have spent more time listening to you Crack headphone amplifier and Sennheiser hd650's when I visited you in Saigon. However, based on my experience listening to your Sennheiser HD650's I also bought a pair for a ridiculously cheap price. I've just ordered a 4 pin XLR cable so I can use the headphone out on my Red Wine Audio. I'm hoping that it sounds spectacular. Did you upgrade your Crack to speedball?

I'd like to have another visit with you in Saigon but I'm not sure whether my timing will suit your movements.

Cheers Rod

Hi Rod.
The Bottlehead Speedball upgrade will have to wait until next year,
because my 2014 budget is exhausted.
I have to replenish my piggy bank.
I did hear a sound improvement when I went to my Vietnamese audio friend's house with my HD650.
For you, I am available full time until April the 26th. 2015.
Let me know in advance when you will be coming
so I can unroll the red carpet.

Thanks for writing.

Guy 13 on planet Vietnam.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Dec 2014, 02:26 am »

On many old integrateds and receivers the headphone out is tapped right off of the speaker outs, with just a resister network to drop the voltage down to headphone level. So you get the original sound of the product instead of a cheap, add on head amp. In my NAD 3020B I can bypass the preamp section and go straight to the power amp section, using the volume control of my Audio gd DAC. The sound is glorious and better than most of the dedicated head amps I've heard.