Headphones to Record Player

Reemul · 29 Mar 2023 at 12:22

I have a record player that i connect to some edifier powered speakers. I would like to output to a pair of headphones instead. It would also need to be able to adjust the volume as well. I am not really sure what I should be getting. Budget £50 - £200
Any advice gratefully received.

hornetstinger · 29 Mar 2023 at 12:41

Stereo analogue pre amp, with built in headphone amplifier and phono stage?

hornetstinger · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:03

Apart from not having a phono stage, (does your record player have built in stage, or you coulduse external phono pre amp) a Audiolab 8000Q ?

Audiolab 8000Q/Audiolab 8000P - Budget Pre/Power - Audio Affair Blog

A pre amplifier and power amplifier combo has always been something to aspire to in hi-fi. Pre/power combos generally offer …

www.audioaffair.co.uk

Don't get the modern IAG 8000Q

Reemul · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:12

hornetstinger said:
Apart from not having a phono stage, (does your record player have built in stage, or you coulduse external phono pre amp) a Audiolab 8000Q ?

Audiolab 8000Q/Audiolab 8000P - Budget Pre/Power - Audio Affair Blog

A pre amplifier and power amplifier combo has always been something to aspire to in hi-fi. Pre/power combos generally offer …

www.audioaffair.co.uk

Don't get the modern IAG 8000Q

My record player does have a built in phono stage I can switch on and off, I have it off for my powered speakers but I can turn it on if that makes a difference

Reemul · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:14

Would something like this work - IFI Zen Can Air

hornetstinger · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:17

Reemul said:
Would something like this work - IFI Zen Can Air

It has no pre outputs, so no.

Reemul · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:42

I have a Lenco L-3808 attached to a Set of Edifier R1280's. The thing is if people are around I cannot listen to it so would like the option to listen to the music on headphones. The record player has a phono amp if i need it but the headphones does not have a volume control on the. So the item I need to put in between the Record player and the headphones that has volume control on is what I am after. It does not have to be all signing and dancing just let me listen on headphones.

hornetstinger · 29 Mar 2023 at 13:43

If your edifer have their own volume control you can use a tape out from the 8000Q (that means full output from the Q) so you'd need to use the edifer own volume control, or you could use the 8000Q pre so the Audiolab 8000Q pre outs are variable so you can use the 8000Q volume control to adjust the edifters (as well as the headphone out)

The 8000Q will mute the pre outs when listening to the headphones.

lucid · 29 Mar 2023 at 14:21

hornetstinger said:
Stereo analogue pre amp, with built in headphone amplifier and phono stage?

Presuming we're talking about a wired connection to the Edifier speakers, then he doesn't need it to include a phone stage. The record player is already making that correction. It has to, otherwise it wouldn't be able to drive the Edifiers properly.

lucid · 29 Mar 2023 at 14:53

Reemul said:
I have a Lenco L-3808 attached to a Set of Edifier R1280's. The thing is if people are around I cannot listen to it so would like the option to listen to the music on headphones. The record player has a phono amp if i need it but the headphones does not have a volume control on the. So the item I need to put in between the Record player and the headphones that has volume control on is what I am after. It does not have to be all signing and dancing just let me listen on headphones.

Have a look at the Pro-Ject Headbox S2 @ £125. It has analogue in and a loop out connection so can stay connected in-line between the Lenco and your Edifiers.

Pro-Ject knows a thing or two about good Hi-Fi gear without spending daft money. So you get something that's both built well and performs well for the price. There will be cheaper headphone amps out there, tonnes of them, but mostly for home DJs where audio fidelity isn't the main criteria. If that's you then have a look at the sort of retailers that sell guitars, drums and recording gear. Beware though, their starting point might be different to yours and how the things connect could prove tricky. For example, the Rolls Bellari is around £160 and has a loop-thru output. But you need to use the balanced XLR inputs for loop through to function. You don't see that in the web pages unless you really dig around a bit.

The IFI ZEN Can Air is a decent shout at £99 if you don't mind swapping some audio cables as and when.

Unless you're looking at secondhand, and if you want it to stay connected inline, then the Headbox S2 is where I'd be. If not, then the IFI.

Reemul · 29 Mar 2023 at 17:31

lucid said:
Have a look at the Pro-Ject Headbox S2 @ £125. It has analogue in and a loop out connection so can stay connected in-line between the Lenco and your Edifiers.

Pro-Ject knows a thing or two about good Hi-Fi gear without spending daft money. So you get something that's both built well and performs well for the price. There will be cheaper headphone amps out there, tonnes of them, but mostly for home DJs where audio fidelity isn't the main criteria. If that's you then have a look at the sort of retailers that sell guitars, drums and recording gear. Beware though, their starting point might be different to yours and how the things connect could prove tricky. For example, the Rolls Bellari is around £160 and has a loop-thru output. But you need to use the balanced XLR inputs for loop through to function. You don't see that in the web pages unless you really dig around a bit.

The IFI ZEN Can Air is a decent shout at £99 if you don't mind swapping some audio cables as and when.

Unless you're looking at secondhand, and if you want it to stay connected inline, then the Headbox S2 is where I'd be. If not, then the IFI.

Sounds good, appreciate the help, Headbox looks just the thing