Correct Way to Hook up Headphone Amp with XSP-1 ?

[kauai82]

I have a question that I am sure that the Lounge members can help me with. I recently bought a Schiit Audio Asgard 2 headphone amp and after some hesitation sent it back to Schiit due to the feeling that I need to up grade my DAC first and then think about a headphone amp. As you can see from my signature I am talking about my music room system. I currently have a SMSL M6 DAC/Headphone amp as my digital analog converter. I should mention that the headphones I own are Hifiman  400 planers and hard to drive. The XSP-1 headphone amp is not powerful enough to drive them.  I now hookup my DAC this way. 


Dell Desktop -> M6 DAC/Headphone amp-->XSP 1 Gen 1, analog 3 input--> XPA 200--->>>Speakers .


When I first got the Asgard 2, I hooked it up this way. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC/Headphone amp -->XSP 1 Gen 1 analog 3 --->>XSP 1 processor out to Asgard 2

This worked except that I have a home theater incorporated in to the system (see sig ) and my sub was still getting a signal from the XSP-1 and still making sound when I listened to headphones.

I then hooked up the Asgard 2 this way and it worked, but I had to use the Asgard 2 preamp outputs to go to the XSP-1 and had to set the volume control on the Asgard 2 to 12 o'clock to get the volume to where I normally listen to my system at. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC --> Asgard 2 Headphone amp --->>XSP-1 input 3-->XPA 200---> Speakers. 

In this configuration when I listened to headphones I kept the XSP-1 off and everything was fine with the headphones. When I listened to the speakers though I as I stated above I had to run the signal from the DAC through the Asgard 2 and it's preamp outputs to the XSP-1. That put the headphone amp in the signal path when I listened to my stereo speakers plus my sub in a 2.1 configuration.  I did not notice any degradation in the SQ in this configuration, but I figured that if you put more components in the signal path you will get more unwanted distortion or colorization of the sound. Is there a better way to hook up headphone amps in my system than what I did ? Should I be looking just at DAC-Headphone amp combinations like I have now ?  Any input would be appreciated. Matt

[KeithL]

Going through the Asgard is definitely going through more active gain stages on the way to the XSP-1 - which is not a great idea.
I would say the way you started out is the BEST way to do it (Dell Desktop -> M6 DAC/Headphone amp-->XSP 1 Gen 1, analog 3 input--> XPA 200--->>>Speakers )
I would go back to doing it that way.... and arrange for some way to switch the sub off when you're not using it (how about a switched outlet?)

Jun 13, 2017 14:01:32 GMT -5 kauai82 said:

I have a question that I am sure that the Lounge members can help me with. I recently bought a Schiit Audio Asgard 2 headphone amp and after some hesitation sent it back to Schiit due to the feeling that I need to up grade my DAC first and then think about a headphone amp. As you can see from my signature I am talking about my music room system. I currently have a SMSL M6 DAC/Headphone amp as my digital analog converter. I now hookup my DAC this way.


Dell Desktop -> M6 DAC/Headphone amp-->XSP 1 Gen 1, analog 3 input--> XPA 200--->>>Speakers .


When I first got the Asgard 2, I hooked it up this way. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC/Headphone amp -->XSP 1 Gen 1 analog 3 --->>XSP 1 processor out to Asgard 2

This worked except that I have a home theater incorporated in to the system (see sig ) and my sub was still getting a signal from the XSP-1 and still making sound when I listened to headphones.

I then hooked up the Asgard 2 this way and it worked, but I had to use the Asgard 2 preamp outputs to go to the XSP-1 and had to set the volume control on the Asgard 2 to 12 o'clock to get the volume to where I normally listen to my system at. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC --> Asgard 2 Headphone amp --->>XSP-1 input 3-->XPA 200---> Speakers. 

In this configuration when I listened to headphones I kept the XSP-1 off and everything was fine with the headphones. When I listened to the speakers though I as I stated above I had to run the signal from the DAC through the Asgard 2 and it's preamp outputs to the XSP-1. That put the headphone amp in the signal path when I listened to my stereo speakers plus my sub in a 2.1 configuration.  I did not notice any degradation in the SQ in this configuration, but I figured that if you put more components in the signal path you will get more unwanted distortion or colorization of the sound. Is there a better way to hook up headphone amps in my system than what I did ? Should I be looking just at DAC-Headphone amp combinations like I have now ?  Any input would be appreciated. Matt

[kauai82]

Jun 13, 2017 14:15:53 GMT -5 KeithL said:

Going through the Asgard is definitely going through more active gain stages on the way to the XSP-1 - which is not a great idea.
I would say the way you started out is the BEST way to do it (Dell Desktop -> M6 DAC/Headphone amp-->XSP 1 Gen 1, analog 3 input--> XPA 200--->>>Speakers )
I would go back to doing it that way.... and arrange for some way to switch the sub off when you're not using it (how about a switched outlet?)

Jun 13, 2017 14:01:32 GMT -5 kauai82 said:

I have a question that I am sure that the Lounge members can help me with. I recently bought a Schiit Audio Asgard 2 headphone amp and after some hesitation sent it back to Schiit due to the feeling that I need to up grade my DAC first and then think about a headphone amp. As you can see from my signature I am talking about my music room system. I currently have a SMSL M6 DAC/Headphone amp as my digital analog converter. I now hookup my DAC this way.


Dell Desktop -> M6 DAC/Headphone amp-->XSP 1 Gen 1, analog 3 input--> XPA 200--->>>Speakers .


When I first got the Asgard 2, I hooked it up this way. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC/Headphone amp -->XSP 1 Gen 1 analog 3 --->>XSP 1 processor out to Asgard 2

This worked except that I have a home theater incorporated in to the system (see sig ) and my sub was still getting a signal from the XSP-1 and still making sound when I listened to headphones.

I then hooked up the Asgard 2 this way and it worked, but I had to use the Asgard 2 preamp outputs to go to the XSP-1 and had to set the volume control on the Asgard 2 to 12 o'clock to get the volume to where I normally listen to my system at. 

Dell Desktop --->M6 DAC --> Asgard 2 Headphone amp --->>XSP-1 input 3-->XPA 200---> Speakers. 

In this configuration when I listened to headphones I kept the XSP-1 off and everything was fine with the headphones. When I listened to the speakers though I as I stated above I had to run the signal from the DAC through the Asgard 2 and it's preamp outputs to the XSP-1. That put the headphone amp in the signal path when I listened to my stereo speakers plus my sub in a 2.1 configuration.  I did not notice any degradation in the SQ in this configuration, but I figured that if you put more components in the signal path you will get more unwanted distortion or colorization of the sound. Is there a better way to hook up headphone amps in my system than what I did ? Should I be looking just at DAC-Headphone amp combinations like I have now ?  Any input would be appreciated. Matt

Thanks Keith for the quick response. Any chance Emotiva is working on a moderately priced DAC (like the one in the Pt-100) with a powerful headphone amp ?

[garbulky]

The sub out on the xsp-1 has ful lrange outputs. I would use a y splitter cable. And connect the splitter cables both to the sub and the headphone amp. Then just remember to turn the subwoofer off.

If the subwoofer is in an inconvenient position to turn off get a radioshack or similar passive selector switch on the subwoofer output of the xsp-1. This way you can use it to switch between what you want - subwoofer or headphone amp and not have to turn off the subwoofer.
I've used this selector and did not notice any degradation in the sound. (It uses no power. It's just a relay).
www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-composite-a-v-selector-switch?gclid=CM2P3KDJu9QCFQwtaQod4LQFgQ