A question about headphones
I've decided I would like to give the headphone experience a try because I am an early morning person and I would like my wife to enjoy her sleep. She is definitely not an early bird.
I have a McIntosh C48 preamp and it has a headphone jack on front. I have plugged my BT transmitter into this and paired with my Bose noise -cancelling headphones but can't say its anything to write home about. Do I need a headphone amplifier and where do I connect the amplifier to my rig?
I like headphones that fully encapsulate my ear. I can't see that open-back headphones appeal to me. I am about 20' away from my rig and although I would consider a cable, what's the consensus on BT headphones or a combo BT / cabled?
I live in Canada and I was thinking to make a start, I would not want to sink more that $500 into headphones until I am convinced this is the route to go. I still don't know about the headphone amp and its cost - if I need it.
I don't post much here but I follow this forum daily ad appreciate all opinions and feedback. Thanks in advance everyone.
I think @ghdprentice nailed it. Just like with home systems, HeadFi systems in the end are all about synergy. No substitute for that and trial and error. The more work you put in, the more you get out. Such is audio. |
I tried plugging my headphones directly into the 1/4" plug on the front of my C48 preamp and it sounded terrible - at least as far as hi-fi is concerned. There was no comparison connecting the line out on the preamp to the line in on the headphone amp - the sound was amazing! I was mentioning in my earlier post that the only manual task I had to do before listening with the headphones was to turn off output 1 that feeds the power amp. Well McIntosh makes that too easy because that function is on the McIntosh remote control (which I never use). I have heard a lot about the Sennheiser HD800s in that the name comes up often. Depending how much use my present headphones get, at least I now have a gift suggestion for my wife the next time she asks! |
@r042wal I’ve read that McIntosh configures their headphone output differently and that taps into their amp section. I’m not really a Mac amp fan, but I don’t know why more amp manufacturers don’t take advantage of their amp sections for headphones in this way. ??? Then, I don’t know what I don’t know. |
@soix don't forget Donald Rumsfeld: “There are known knowns — there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns — that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don’t know we don’t know.” 🤣 |
@r042wal Congratulations. Great to hear you "couldn't be happier.'
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