RSP-1570 + headphones

[bows3r]

Hi,

I'm wondering is there any way to connect headphones to RSP-1570?

Thanks,

Mika.

[srb]

The only way is with the use of a separate headphone amplifier, which can be connected to the Tape Out analog outputs. This is a fixed line level signal and you would have to use the volume control on the headphone amplifier.

You could also use one of the Zone outputs if you wanted the volume controlled by the Rotel, but since the Zone outputs only pass analog signals, you would have to make additional analog connections from your digital sources if you wanted to listen to them.

Although the downside is the extra expense and space of an external headphone amplifier, the upside is that it will generally sound better than most of the internal headphone circuits that are found in some surround processors.

Steve

[bows3r]

Hmmm.. Tried to connect headphones to tapeout and no voice came out. I used 3,5mm -> RCA adapter. All my sources are digital, maybe it gives only from analog sources to tape out. There is also optical tapeout in Rotel, maybe this would work with digital sources?

[srb]

As mentioned before, the Zone outputs will not pass your digitally connected sources and would require an additional analog connection from each source to get any output from the Zone outputs, however, the Tape Out jacks should pass all sources whether digital or analog.

The Record input selector either needs to be set to the input that you want to appear at the Tape Out jacks, or set to Source (the default) which will pass whatever main input is currently selected.

Are you connecting your headphones to a separate headphone amplifier first and then to the Tape Out jacks, or are you trying to connect them directly to the Tape Out jacks? The Tape Out signal is not amplified and is generally not a high enough level to directly drive headphones without a separate headphone amplifier.

Steve

[Kevin D]

The tape outputs do not send out digital signals either. You will need to run analog cables in addition to your digital cables.

Kevin D.

[srb]

The tape outputs do not send out digital signals either. You will need to run analog cables in addition to your digital cables.

My mistake. Even after connecting analog cables from your digital source(s), the tape output is a fixed level and will be unaffected by the volume control. I would suspect that even at fixed maximum level the sound level from directly connected headphones will still be too low, hence the headphone amp for both those reasons.

Steve

[Kevin D]

My mistake. Even after connecting analog cables from your digital source(s), the tape output is a fixed level and will be unaffected by the volume control. I would suspect that even at fixed maximum level the sound level from directly connected headphones will still be too low, hence the headphone amp for both those reasons.

Steve

Oh most definitely. Agree with you there.

Kevin D.

[bows3r]

Yes I tried connect straight in to headphones that have volume control. There is also a digital out in back, if I would connect that to a headphone amplifier would it work with my digital inputs? I would not want to buy a headphone amplifier and figure out that it wont work with digital inputs.

[srb]

There is also a digital out in back, if I would connect that to a headphone amplifier would it work with my digital inputs?

You can either

1. Run a stereo pair of analog interconnects from each digital source's stereo analog outputs to an analog input on the Rotel, then connect the Tape Out jacks to the input of an analog headphone amplifier. With this method you would be able to listen to all of your digital sources.

OR

2. Connect the digital output of the Rotel to an external DAC equipped with a headphone jack and a volume control. The downside of this method is that it would only work with your 2 channel digital sources, and not your multichannel Dolby or DTS digital sources, as most external DACs will not process multichannel signals.

An inexpensive stereo DAC with headphone jack and volume control (These two DACs are virtually identical):
Ambery AU-DA DAC ($115)

http://www.ambery.com/2ditoanaudac.html

MCM TC-7510 DAC ($119)

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/50-7774

Going up in quality and sound would be something like:
Firestone Fubar IV Plus DAC/Headphone Amp ($347)
http://www.audiophileproducts.com/fubar4plus

There are a few external DACs that convert Dolby multichannel to stereo, but they are DACs only and would still require an analog headphone amplifier:
Gefen TV GTV-DD-2AA Dolby Digital DAC ($110)

http://www.ramelectronics.net/audio-video/audio-converters-extenders/analog-to-digital-digital-to-analog/digital-to-analog-decoder-gtv-dd-2-aa/prodGTVDD2AA.html

And here is an analog headphone amplifier:
Firestone Cute Beyond Headphone Amplifier ($187)
http://www.audiophileproducts.com/cutebeyond

So it depends whether you only need to listen to stereo sources or multichannel as well. I would personally go the route of connecting each digital source with an additional pair of stereo analog interconnects and get a nice little headphone amp similar to the Firestone Cute Beyond.

Wouldn't life be easier if the Rotel had a headphone jack like many other processors and receivers?

Steve

[eelco74]

Hi,

I am using the Pro-ject Headbox II for my rsp-1098. Ik have my media player and Marantz UD8004 connected both analogue and digital to the 1098. The Project amp is connected to the tape out.