Headphone and Head phone amp

Hi-Fi Corner
21

Now are you going to connect a headphone amp to a S1? As only inputs and no outputs on the S1

22

Your choice of headphones will ultimately determine which route you should go with amplification. There are some very hard-to-drive planars out there that benefit from speaker amps and some others that will do just fine with more conventional Headphone amps. You have some very high-end gear, so I would imagine you would want to go with the latter. Like all things hifi, it is a slippery slope in terms of gear matching and ladder climbing.

23

There are balanced outputs and DIn outputs Dunc.

24

Can you connect to both at the same time?
So use the xlr’s to naim amps and then use the balanced outputs to say a headphone amp or tape deck? As i didn’t think you could

25

Surely the OP has made it clear that he won’t be using speakers, therefore the amps don’t come into it. Or have I missed something?

26

Looks like i have missed that.

27

That’s correct TRL.

Dunc I could take a feed off the Snaxo’s Supercap DR, as I do with the REL and that would connect to the Headphone amp, if I were to use alongside the main active speakers

28

Only issue here is that you’ll be taking an output from the pre-out - i.e. through the pre-amp’s volume control and pre-amp circuitry into the headphone amp. The Statement lacks a line out or tape loop, which is what you would really need for a headphone amp. Alternative here is to go straight from your source, assuming it’s just the one source you will be using.

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29

Have you read the OPs profile? I’m guessing there are probably several sources in there somewhere!

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30

I got my Focal Elear from there. These are open backed and were more suited to what I wanted.

They have a huge dedicated demo room just for headphones.

We had great fun trying out different headphones before settling on these and they will be able to help you out.

Have some fun and enjoy the new way of listening to music.

DG…

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31

Perhaps you should keep the Rel connected too! That could make for an interesting headphone listening experience.

Richard makes a good point about the S1 having only a pre out (post volume control) when what you really need is a line out for a headphone amp. I imagine it should still work, but I think you really want a dealer to address these issues with some real world experience.

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32

And therein could lie a problem with connecting a separate headphone amp, unless it’s just for one of the sources.

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33

Thats what i thought as already had a conversation about headphone amp and tape decks with a dealer and that dealer with naim. The out come not possible with S1 unless you add a second pre amp in the mix that has tape loops etc, like a 202.
Thats why i got excited for a second

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34

I wonder whether the balanced pre out on the S1 could adequately drive some suitable headphones via a balanced cable. Possibly worth enquiring about this with your dealer or directly with Naim

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35

Hi Richard

I have 2 line outs from my Whest buffer II, so I could use that and connect the LP12 or CD555 through that unit. One is being used at the moment to connect the CD555 to the S1. That could be a solution?

Cheers Pete

36

Pete, I would guess so, but as I’m not familiar with the device I couldn’t say for sure whether that would be the best solution.

I do wonder whether the balanced outputs of the S1 would allow it to effectively be used as a big headphone amp with suitable headphones…

37

Thanks Richard I was hoping for something like that so that I can get the benefit of the sound production from the S1. I’ll look into it.

Pete

38

Just checked with James Henriot at Whest the second output stage on the Buffer II will work well with a Headphone amp so that seems the best option.

I’ll book a session at HiFi Lounge to see what combo I prefer.

Thanks Pete

39

I also bought the Topping A90D, really excellent this amp, it can easily rub with amps much more expensive…

40

Fwiw, I was confounded by the lack of headphone jack on the otherwise superb 5italic.

Cue my much-loved & underused Cyrus 1 from 1986… bought new & never misses a beat… hooked up via the HDD out RCA, now I have a headphone solution.