[alexdemaet]

Would it be possible to connect my iPod (via analog RCA or usb mini B) to a device (a small portable dac would be be suited here I believe) that will be connected to the HeadRoom Balanced Home amp via XLR so I will have the opportunity to listen to a balanced headphone?
I am aware that the Balanced Home amp only accepts digital or analog XLR inputs to be able to listen to a balanced headphone. A HeadRoom Balanced Desktop amp accepts any input (both digital and analog RCA) for balanced headphone listening, unfortunately the Home line only accepts digital or balanced XLR input. Sorry for my bad english..

 

[alexdemaet]

I have asked Meier Audio (since I own a CordaMove amp) if it would be possible to connect the Corda amp via Usb Mini B to the HeadRoom Home amp via Usb Mini B (so it receives a digital signal). With a usb connection there is always a "master" (computer) and a "slave" (amp) needed. There can't be no 2 amps with a usb connection. A headphone amp can only operate as "slave".

 

[ZarakiSan]

You can't just hook up a DAC to an iPod either. The iPod doesn't so USB hosting that way, and it only hosts devices it understands. DACs are not that kind of thing.

The best option if you simply want to connect your iPod to your BHA (Balanced Home Amp) is to take a line-out from the docking port, like Apple Store (U.S.) - Apple Component AV Cable that, using the RCA Red and White connectors. Then, to go to XLR, you'll need RCA-female to XLR-Male connectors, or adapters. Like this:

Calrad 35-461: AVCable.com

Then, you put the docking connector on your iPod, use the RCA output to connect to the RCA-XLR adapters, and plug that into your analog XLR input.

 

[alexdemaet]

Reply from HeadRoom's support team: "Unfortunately that won't work. An iPod has no way to send a digital output to a DAC. In fact I only know of one product that can get a digital signal out of an iPod and it's from Wadia:
Wadia 170iTransport Home Page

If you get one of these then you can absolutely connect your iPod to the Digital inputs of the Balanced Home. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,


Mike Olson
Technical Services Manager
mikeo@headphone.com
HeadRoom Corporation
2020 Gilkerson Dr.
Bozeman, MT 59715
1-800-828-8184
406-587-9466 ext. 104"

 

[alexdemaet]

Now I have to find out if the Wadia iTransport supports my 5.5th gen iMod, I believe it does (but I have to be really sure). It is really a big disadvantage that the HeadRoom BALANCED Home doesn't accept analog input when you want to use a BALANCED headphone!

 

[nc8000]

If you use the Wadia you will gain nothing from the iMod procedure as that totally bypasses the analog part where all the iMod goodies go. Also I don't know if the iMod process has done something to the dock part that would affect connecting it to the Wadia (using a 5.5 iMod is generally not recommended using anything other than purpose build dock cables be it ALO or others and is even said to be able to damage the connected equipment if not used with one of these).

 

[alexdemaet]

Indeed, it may not be recommended to use an iMod with an iTransport.
And maybe an (original) iPod+HeadRoom amp+balanced headphone won't sound as good as a RWA iMod+Vcap+HeadRoom amp+unbalanced headphone. Fortunately, I can use my balanced can in unbalanced mode via an adapter (I didn't have to let it recable or didn't have to buy an unbalanced can).

 

[alexdemaet]

Maybe if I want to use a balanced can on my balanced amp, I could buy an inexpensive laptop (e.g., Asus EEE), store alac music tracks on it, connect (via optical?) it to the HeadRoom amp OR I could connect the CordaMove amp via usb to the Asus EEE (so I don't have to use a the Asus as music source) and connect the Asus via ? connection to the HeadRoom. I hope that this will work out??

 

[alexdemaet]

I wonder why the HeadRoom Balanced Home amp can't accept an incoming analog signal (via RCA) when a balanced headphone is plugged in?! I have asked them but they don't reply! They haven't even included this shortcoming in their manuals (they told me they would do it)!

 

[alexdemaet]

I am sorry for placing this thread under "portable ..." but initially I was looking for a $400 small dac with balanced xlr outputs..

 

[alexdemaet]

Some details about audio system:
headphone: balanced Grado SR225
headphone amp: Headroom Home Balanced
portable amp: Meier-Audio CordaMove
music Source: Red Wine Audio iMod (modded iPod);


Maybe I have another sollution to my problem, maybe I would be able to listen to my balanced can via iTunes on laptop (e.g., Asus EEE)? The laptop could be connected via usb to the HeadRoom amp. Or maybe I could connect my music source (iMod is connected to a CordaMove amp) via usb to the laptop, and connect the laptop via usb to the HeadRoom amp?
So, the HeadRoom receives a digital signal; which could enable balanced headphone listening?

 

[grawk]

Ok, there's a lot going on in a little space here.

1) and ipod->wadia itransport -> headroom balanced home amp with dac -> headphones will sound better than imod->vcap dock->some balancing mechanism->headroom balanced home amp. Bypassing a few electronics won't make things better than a good dac.

2) The balanced home amp doesn't have a balancing mechanism built in, so if you use an unbalanced source, it's going to just 1 side of the amp, so you need to use unbalanced headphones. You can get around this by having a balancing box built, with either a chip or transformers.

I'll leave comparisons with the corda move to someone else.

 

[alexdemaet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, there's a lot going on in a little space here. 1) and ipod->wadia itransport -> headroom balanced home amp with dac -> headphones will sound better than imod->vcap dock->some balancing mechanism->headroom balanced home amp. Bypassing a few electronics won't make things better than a good dac. 2) The balanced home amp doesn't have a balancing mechanism built in, so if you use an unbalanced source, it's going to just 1 side of the amp, so you need to use unbalanced headphones. You can get around this by having a balancing box built, with either a chip or transformers. I'll leave comparisons with the corda move to someone else.

1) that's why I would love to use my iMod as music source on my HeadRoom amp, while I have my BALANCED headphones on.
I believe the CordaMove's usb connection won't be meant to get music out of it (I tried to connect it to my desktop pc and there was coming no sound out of it, I believe it's only meant to be used to get some power (no batteries needed)).
2) I believe such a chip or transformer is built-in the HeadRoom Balanced Desktop amp. Too bad they couldn't provide this for the Home Balanced amp as well.

 

[alexdemaet]

I found the sollution!! It was very simply

Starting from source:
RWA iMod->Alo Audio Vcap-> mini to RCA->Cardas rca-to-XLR adapter->Headroom Home Balanced->balanced Grado SR225;

Now I will have my GS1000 retirminated to balanced XLR ...

 

[synaesthetic]

Is there any benefit at all from feeding an unbalanced source (such as an iMod iPod) into a balanced amp (such as the OP's amp)?

It doesn't seem like it would be useful to me.