| Previous :: Next Topic |
| Author |
Message |
codgerhiker
Member
Joined: 12 May 2011
Posts: 31 | TRs | Pics
|
I have an old Harmon Kardon receiver that is dying (noise instead of signal on one channel). After it warms up 10 minutes it's listenable, but I need to assume it's gonna finish dying one day....
I have CD's. Remember those? Fabulous fidelity, no compression, lotsa dynamic range. And I exclusively listen with headphones. I'm having a hard time finding a desktop preamp-amp combo with even minimal controls. I just need the basics: volume, bass, treble, balance, loudness. I sure as heck don't need / want a fullup receiver - I never listen to radio at home & I don't need more than a few watts per channel to drive the phones.
Ideas? (imagine a confused emoticon here, or perhaps the headbanger....I seem to have failed the IQ test to cut & paste....)
Bugs Bunny is who we want to be, Daffy Duck is who we are - Chuck Jones
Bugs Bunny is who we want to be, Daffy Duck is who we are - Chuck Jones
|
| Back to top |
  
|
|
n16ht5
Member
Joined: 21 Jun 2010
Posts: 592 | TRs | Pics
|
|
n16ht5
Member
|
 Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:55 pm |
|
|
head-fi.org
dig and you shall find
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lono
Member
Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 930 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Lono
Member
|
Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:39 am |
|
|
Hawthorne Stereo on 65 and Roosevelt in Seattle. Old fashioned hi-fi store with great attitude, and a humongous used room to replace your equipment, and poss. Take your quirky receiver in trade. Has a website somewhere.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VicTrekker
Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 37 | TRs | Pics
Location: Victoria, BC |
| codgerhiker wrote: | | I'm having a hard time finding a desktop preamp-amp combo with even minimal controls. I just need the basics: volume, bass, treble, balance, loudness. I sure as heck don't need / want a fullup receiver - I never listen to radio at home & I don't need more than a few watts per channel to drive the phones. |
I went though a spell (a few years back) of researching/buying/building headphone amps.
It's actually not real common to see so-called 'high-end' audio gear these days with analog tone controls. A lot of 'headphone amps' are looking for line input from iPods, computers, etc. with digital controls.
You may find that the most cost-effective solution will be something like a basic Yamaha receiver - it seems a waste of space, I know. Or, a CD player with phone out, but no tone controls?
Your HK receiver is solid-state?
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nuclear_eggset
Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2006
Posts: 2206 | TRs | Pics
Location: Eastside |
When I needed something similar, we went with a very basic Sony receiver. Still more than you need, but about the most basic that we could find.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 7464 | TRs | Pics
Location: The Hermitage |
|
Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
|
Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:26 am |
|
|
What kind of voltages do headphones typically operate at? The answer to that question might sink this idea...
You could build your own little desktop unit utilizing a car stereo and a computer power supply. Both items are available nearly free. I'd guess the headphones could be run off the preamp outputs provided they don't need more than a couple volts.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SlingShot
Slingshot
Joined: 14 Jun 2010
Posts: 222 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cascadia |
Really? Did anyone Google "Headphone amp"
I found several, from $40 on up. Most do not have tone control, this one does. This also has its own DAC.
Fiio E17
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lostintheforest
Member
Joined: 31 Oct 2013
Posts: 80 | TRs | Pics
|
A little maintenance on your current receiver might bring it back to life. If it's a matter of dirty contacts on a switch or the inputs, a simple cleaning with contact cleaner will fix it. $5 and a little time opening it up and spraying in the appropriate areas.
If it is something a cleaning won't fix, there are a lot of options for analog style headphone amps out there, all depending on your budget and desired options of course.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
contour5
Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 2963 | TRs | Pics
|
|
contour5
Member
|
Fri Jul 25, 2014 2:10 pm |
|
|
There's a huge junk market for old audio gear these days- ebay, craigslist, pawnshops, etc. My local Value Village has a very impressive pile of old 8 ohm gear. I see sansui, kenwood, harmon kardon stuff in there all the time. A macintosh amp and pre amp rolled thru there a little while back...
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
