questions?

Anyone install a headphone jack on their SP-14, is this even recommended and if so any pitfalls  
I ask because my wife is having brain radiation and chemo and her hearing has become extremely sensitive so I'm limited in my volume level.

Are there any reproduction 12BH7 that anyone would recommend specifically for an ST-120?
Thanks

Maintarget wrote:Anyone install a headphone jack on their SP-14, is this even recommended and if so any pitfalls  
I ask because my wife is having brain radiation and chemo and her hearing has become extremely sensitive so I'm limited in my volume level.

Are there any reproduction 12BH7 that anyone would recommend specifically for an ST-120?
Thanks

you will need a dedicated headphone amp, as you cannot just 'tap' into the preamps output for headphones. Impedance and signal levels would not be correct to drive the average headphone set.

Sounds like it'd be a handy dandy add on board for when Roy gets bored ...

sKiZo wrote:Sounds like it'd be a handy dandy add on board for when Roy gets bored ...

Yes, the rumored cathode follower board will to this perfectly.

We are sorry to hear of your wife's illness, and we all wish her a speedy and complete recovery.
If you PM me your address, I can send you a nice little Rega headphone amp for the cost of shipping, which should be minimal as it is a small, light SS unit. The trick is to use substantial gain on the SP14, which effectively will consign the HP amp to a mere matching device. Run the SP14 at 2 o'clock into the Rega, and you will not have to run the volume on it above 9 o'clock. Trust me....
It's a perfectly good-sounding unit when used this way. I have upgraded to a 12AU7 based HP amp so this is something that's been gathering dust.
Cheers,               Kentley

I'm a little late to this discussion, but I've always used an external headphone amp (like the Rega that Kentley describes) and connected it to the tape out. You don't go through the tube stage this way (at least on the SP10), but it's perfectly acceptable if you just need a headphone connection quickly.

Yes, Dougmon. It works great that way. But taking advantage of the second output of the SP14 has benefit - especially when you want to add a touch of tubularity.

Kentley wrote:Yes, Dougmon. It works great that way. But taking advantage of the second output of the SP14 has benefit - especially when you want to add a touch of tubularity.

Actually, I've never thought of that. I'll give it a try -- it will probably sound better than the way I have it set up currently. Thanks!

It works particularly well if you don't wish to spend big $$ on a dedicated headphone amp you only use occasionally. Or if your HP amp is {gasp} Solid Sand. Like most. The one I use now is tubular, but it's pretty chintzy. Sounds like a $2000 Schilz (Or is that "Schlitz"?) when I use the pre stage.
Of course, good cans ain't cheap. But Sennheiser....well!

I was going to comment on the cans as well but don't want to start a debate like the burn in on cables etc...however, I would agree a nice Sennheiser set is excellent. I reject the hype surrounding Beats and other "premium" headphones...a nice set for under $100 and you are good to go. Or you can spend like $300 or $400 on the BS Bose and Beats. It kills me that some of these kids work a week or more at McD's so they can buy over-rated cans and make the rappers even more rich.

wildiowa wrote:I was going to comment on the cans as well but don't want to start a debate like the burn in on cables etc...however, I would agree a nice Sennheiser set is excellent. I reject the hype surrounding Beats and other "premium" headphones...a nice set for under $100 and you are good to go. Or you can spend like $300 or $400 on the BS Bose and Beats. It kills me that some of these kids work a week or more at McD's so they can buy over-rated cans and make the rappers even more rich.

GRRRRR!!!! Don't get me stahted....Let's drop it. Outside the purview of this thread.

You can buy a dedicated headphone amp from Schiit for between $100 to $249 depending on your druthers, tube or SS. Uber or vanilla. Also, Maverick offers an excellent HP tube set for $249, Skizo will concur. The Sennheiser PX-1000 headphones ($45) are sleepers, but need extension cable ($4) and 1/4" to 3.5 mm adapter ($1.50) from Parts-express.com.

Add a DAC and you have a complete stereo(most have a USB port.) It's a brave new world as far as DACs go. These range in price from $120 to $400 and most are from China. Breeze Audio on ebay (Website) offers 12 models with many options depending on the choice of chipsets. Maverick (Website) offers two models, the Tubemagic D1 is the more flexible.

Bottlehead also sells a couple of nice tube headphone amp kits. Maybe not as cheap as SS but hey! Tubes!

wildiowa wrote:Beats and other "premium" headphones...a nice set for under $100 and you are good to go. Or you can spend like $300 or $400 on the BS Bose and Beats.

I might consider them if they came in quad ...



These are Sennheiser ... sort of. The original drivers were shite even new, and I transplanted new ones from a couple matching mid range phones.

'pm' me if anyone is interested in a VERY nice and affordable little tube headphone amp!

You might consider the Fostex T50RP planar-magnetic headphones. You can usually get them for about $120-140. There are a number of modifications available. Go to YouTube. You need to disassemble the cups, and pack modeling clay in the empty places in the baffle; also some Silverstone acoustic damping material to prevent internal reflections. New Shure earpads help. Most important, ditch the cable in favor of something like Kimber PBJ. It males a huge difference. Mine is home-brew. There are several guys who make a living modding the T50RP.

The Fostex aren't efficient so they require a ballsy headamp. I use a Burson unit which sounds warm and open. The Maverick unit should also work fine. The Maverick only uses its' tube in the pre-amp out, a WE396A or equivalent, not the headphone section. In interests of full disclosure, last fall I actually ordered the same unit that sKiZo has, changed my mind, and had no problem getting my money back. Ryan at Maverick is great, stand-up guy. I went on to purchase about $2500 in DAC/preamp/HPs. Sometimes I don't think things thru thoroughly. Senior moments?!

As for sound, the Fostex is complete opposite of the Beats/Bose. Maybe a little lean sounding. They need a warm sounding headamp, like a tube unit. You can use the EQ in JRiver, also. The Fostex never sound soggy, with astonishing clarity and dynamics, and a huge soundstage. I have Beyer, A-T, Shure, and H-K phones. The Fostex are superior in every way.

As a aside, I recently installed JRiver MC 20. It seems to sound much better the MC19. Settings are the same. I only use 'phones when using the computer. This is not a "break-in" joke. MC20 actually sounds better.