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Advice needed: What is the best way to add headphones to my current setup?


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My issue us that I don't listen to my records enough, but I need to be able to do it with headphones sometimes. My current setup doesn't allow this, so what is the best way to modify what I have?

 

Turntable: Rega RP3

Preamp: Cambridge 551P

Speakers: Kanto Yumi powered(I know...not exactly hi-fi but I use them for other sources)

 

Since neither the preamp or speakers have a headphone jack what should I add? Is an RCA out > female headphone jack cable from the preamp an option? (Or even a good idea?)

 

Thanks for any help!

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Just get a headphone amp with pre-outs that can go to the speakers. Schiit Magni 3 for $99 will likely be your best bang for buck, and will allow you to listen to headphones, and will sound pretty sweet in the meantime. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

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16 minutes ago, Sidney Crosley said:

Just get a headphone amp with pre-outs that can go to the speakers. Schiit Magni 3 for $99 will likely be your best bang for buck, and will allow you to listen to headphones, and will sound pretty sweet in the meantime. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

Thanks so much! I guess the 551P will be useless so gotta find a buyer.

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6 hours ago, andynz said:

Jumping in on this thread, I have a Rotel RA-935BX (with a Pro-ject Phono Box preamp), which has a headphone jack built in (see below). Can I just use that, or would I need a separate head phone amp? 

 

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It will probably work great unless you plan to use some exotic, hard to drive headphones.

 

You would simply plug your phono preamp into an Aux/CD/whatever input on the Rotel and give the headphone plug a try.

 

if you also want to drive some powered speakers/monitors like the OP, just plug those into a Tape output on the Rotel. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 9/30/2018 at 8:08 PM, Sidney Crosley said:

Just get a headphone amp with pre-outs that can go to the speakers. Schiit Magni 3 for $99 will likely be your best bang for buck, and will allow you to listen to headphones, and will sound pretty sweet in the meantime. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1

I'm looking to get this but don't have headphones yet.

 

I don't really wanna spend too much. I'd rather not spend $200 but I'm looking at these headphones https://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-880-Premium-HiFi-headphones/dp/B07DHX5TZ4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?tag=dt-incontent-btn-20&th=1&psc=1

 

Would they pair well together? 

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1 hour ago, pizza face said:

I'm looking to get this but don't have headphones yet.

 

I don't really wanna spend too much. I'd rather not spend $200 but I'm looking at these headphones https://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-880-Premium-HiFi-headphones/dp/B07DHX5TZ4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?tag=dt-incontent-btn-20&th=1&psc=1

 

Would they pair well together? 

Beyerdynamic makes very good headphones. Keep in mind though that there are 3 models, 600 ohm, 250 ohm, and 32 ohm. The 600 ohm will need a headphone amplifier (the Magni would be sufficient, but you’d be cranking it a bit high). They would be barely audible direct from a phone. However, they have the potential to have the clearest detail. 32 ohm are designed for mobile phones - the headphone amp wouldn’t be as important to make them loud enough. The 250 ohm would be somewhere in the middle. Keep in mind too the 880s are semi open so you wouldn’t really be able to wear them in public. The 770 series are closed back. 

 

If you are looking in the $150-200 range, see if you can get the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX on the used market. They go new for $200 but easy enough to find used for less.  They are basically a new colour version of the HD650 headphones which used to sell for about $400 and still are the top in that price range. There are lots of other great headphones in the 100-200 range, especially if you’re willing to buy used. 

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43 minutes ago, Sidney Crosley said:

Beyerdynamic makes very good headphones. Keep in mind though that there are 3 models, 600 ohm, 250 ohm, and 32 ohm. The 600 ohm will need a headphone amplifier (the Magni would be sufficient, but you’d be cranking it a bit high). They would be barely audible direct from a phone. However, they have the potential to have the clearest detail. 32 ohm are designed for mobile phones - the headphone amp wouldn’t be as important to make them loud enough. The 250 ohm would be somewhere in the middle. Keep in mind too the 880s are semi open so you wouldn’t really be able to wear them in public. The 770 series are closed back. 

 

If you are looking in the $150-200 range, see if you can get the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX on the used market. They go new for $200 but easy enough to find used for less.  They are basically a new colour version of the HD650 headphones which used to sell for about $400 and still are the top in that price range. There are lots of other great headphones in the 100-200 range, especially if you’re willing to buy used. 

I appreciate the response, thanks I'll look into those! These headphones would be strictly for use with my turntable. Although it would be nice for it to be versatile, I'm mainly interested in having a nice pair for home use when my girlfriend doesn't want to hear me blasting music. I think she might be buying me the Magni 3 for Christmas but I told her I need to make sure I have everything lined up before she drops money on it. 

 

If I were to get the Massdrop HD6XX headphones would I be able to use them with my phone as well? I guess if I'd be spending the same amount of money as I would be if I were to buy the Beyerdynamic headphones but also be able to use them with my phone that would be a plus. 

 

Tbh, I'm just a complete noob when it comes to specific details in audio. 

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13 hours ago, pizza face said:

I appreciate the response, thanks I'll look into those! These headphones would be strictly for use with my turntable. Although it would be nice for it to be versatile, I'm mainly interested in having a nice pair for home use when my girlfriend doesn't want to hear me blasting music. I think she might be buying me the Magni 3 for Christmas but I told her I need to make sure I have everything lined up before she drops money on it. 

 

If I were to get the Massdrop HD6XX headphones would I be able to use them with my phone as well? I guess if I'd be spending the same amount of money as I would be if I were to buy the Beyerdynamic headphones but also be able to use them with my phone that would be a plus. 

 

Tbh, I'm just a complete noob when it comes to specific details in audio. 

The HD6XX also have a relatively high impedance - I think around 250-300 ohm, so they'd likely need/benefit from a headphone amp.  That being said, you can run a 1/8 inch to RCA cable to the Magni if you want to listen to digital, or even a Chromecast Audio out to RCA for digital listening.

 

Also, semi-related to all of this, with high impedance headphones you'll hear a lot of details, but also a lot more of the surface noise, crackles, etc. You need to make sure more than usual that your records are clean.

 

As you mention, you want to listen to headphones so that it doesn't bother your girlfriend. The Beyers you listed, as well as the HD6XX leak a lot of sound (the 880s far less so as they are only semi-open). So if you have a relatively small place, she'll hear everything if, for example, you're both sitting on the couch. My main rig headphones are Audeze LCD 3 and they are completely open and leak a lot of sound, so if my wife is across the table from me it's like she's listening to a tinny version of whatever I'm listening to. If she's more than 10-15 feet away, she doesn't hear anything. Just something to think about as you look for headphones.

 

Some quality open backed headphones in the 100-200 used range:

Beyerdynamic 770, 880 or 990

Sennheiser HD 6XX (or HD 600)

Hifiman HE400i (these are very decent planar magnetic headphones that originally listed for $599, then dropped to around $250 or so, used around 125-150)

AKG K702

Grado SR125/225/325

 

Closed back in the same range:

Audio Technica ATH-M50X

PSB M4U 1/ NAD Viso HP50 (I think they're basically the same)

AKG K551, K550, or K545 

Audeze Sine (on-ear)

 

There are lots of options, and it's actually a great pricepoint to buy used if you're willing, as the prices are beyond Best Buy-styled consumer headphones, but cheaper than the really serious audiophile stuff, and what happens (which absolutely happened to me) is that this is where most people get their start with headphones, and then work their way up to more expensive pairs.

 

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