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Post by RobotRogue on Oct 4, 2012 19:19:03 GMT
Hello folks. New to the board. Loving it here so far. So I decided to build a 'simple' A/B switchbox for my audio setup. The details go something like this: I route audio out of my PC to an Indeed Class T Amp Tripath TA2021 currently. I set the volume to all my PC apps to one level, and the volume control is handled externally to my amp. It's nice. One knob to rule them all. That little guy powers my "Minimus 7" clone speakers. I ordered up a pair of Superlux HD-681 cans. My initial plan was to use the headphone jack on my PC to run them. But then I'd have to muck about with volume settings in Windows. Not ideal. (It would mess up my output to my amp for future use, and kills the 'one knob to rule them all' idea.) Enter my plan for an A/B switchbox. It would have RCA IN from my PC, would have an RCA OUT routing out to my amp, and a 1/4" headphone jack to my Superlux cans. I'd also want an independent volume knob to control only the output to the headphones, so as not to affect the output to the amp. Simple enough I think? I just wire the "A" position of the switch to route the RCA IN direct to the RCA out... and the "B" position would go from RCA IN to the Potentiometer to the 1/4" headphone jack. (I'll post an image to clarify the wiring a tiny bit) My questions: Will it even work? I haven't played with electrical/wiring/design in ages... Here's the diagram I've sketched up, basic concept at the moment.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2012 20:40:31 GMT
Hello and welcome!
Could you confirm that your PC has adjustable volume via the RCA outputs? (effectively a pre-amp output rather than fixed level line)
RCA is an output for line level and headphones usually have a higher output fed to them, needed to actually drive them.
I would suggest the switch idea without the simple volume control but with some kind of line in headphone amplifier in its place.
Thus achieving what you want and gaining proper drive for the headphones.
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Post by RobotRogue on Oct 4, 2012 20:51:41 GMT
Thanks for the reply The PC to "Switchbox" is handled via a single 3.5mm TRS to RCA split cable. It's plugged into the headphone out jack on the sound card (which, I also assume is line-out) Therefore I assume my PC TRS out is not amplified in any way. I was looking for headphone amps that allowed for RCA out (acting as a preamp of sorts when feeding the audio to my Class T amp) - they can be quite spendy... My purpose for this switchbox was for a low (significantly low) cost alternative to a headphone amp. (and to isolate the volume control) I'm guessing as it is a passive configuration, I wouldn't have an ideal amount of power output for the Superlux cans...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2012 21:14:07 GMT
OK, as you are using a 3.5mm output jack from the PC you do have PC volume control active on that. It can be used as either line or straight headphone drive.
1) Personally I would want to set the PC volume at a point where you can get enough volume on the headphones but not too much output to the amplifier (you don't want it to "clip").
2) With a USB out you would normally set the PC volume and any software programme volume to maximum, then adjusting externally without any problems.
Others may disagree with me on point 1 though.
So, basically, you can use either idea. If, however, you are using good quality or difficult to drive headphones I would go with the separate headphone amplifier as I detailed above.
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Post by RobotRogue on Oct 4, 2012 21:17:00 GMT
Aye, PC volume control is active on that output (I just set it to 90% and left it there - because my current setup I use the vol knob on the Indeed amp) I guess in the end, I can build the switchbox, give it a go in my setup, and if the Superlux headphones don't sound all that stellar using just the PC out for the 'amp' - then I can consider going the headphone amp route. Thanks for your input by the way!
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layums
100+
Thank you for the untips
Just started electrical fixing, to go with my other fixing bad habits :)
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Post by layums on Oct 7, 2012 19:49:43 GMT
Get a dac. Music streamer II. It will open up your computer music experience.
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