Dongle dac/amp question of driving headphones

[Deckard01]

One question for the experts if you know.

I get the lovely TP50. It is working wonderful with my HD600 high gain 4.4 bal.cable.

Now I own and an AKG k701 as it is a budget can and I like very much it's soundstage but is hardwired to SE and I can only use 3.5mm or 6.3mm.

I connect them to TP50 3.5mm is there any issue if I set to High or Low Gain? I try with both but I do not think is working properly. Is there any issue here should I check something else?

Moreover I connect my TP50 to my external amp a Heed CanAmp that I use to drive my K701. I have a cable of 3.5mm-->2 rca so as to connect my TP50 3.5mm to the two RCA of my Amplifier. I test Low/High Gain of the dac and is working very well in both cases without issues. Is there any issue here too? There was any distortion or something strange here.

Should I always connect my dongle to amp so as to drive properly the K701 or it is fine to drive them with my dongle only?

I am not so good on sensitivities and what needs to be done.

Thanks for all

 

[staticV3]

I connect them to TP50 3.5mm is there any issue if I set to High or Low Gain?

No issue.

I try with both but I do not think is working properly.

Why do you think it's not working properly?

Is there any issue here should I check something else?

You can use a common multimeter to measure the dongle's output voltage, to make sure that Low/High gain are working properly.

Moreover I connect my TP50 to my external amp a Heed CanAmp that I use to drive my K701. I have a cable of 3.5mm-->2 rca so as to connect my TP50 3.5mm to the two RCA of my Amplifier. I test Low/High Gain of the dac and is working very well in both cases without issues. Is there any issue here too?

High gain may result in an output voltage high enough to clip your Amp.
Other than that, no issue.

Should I always connect my dongle to amp so as to drive properly the K701 or it is fine to drive them with my dongle only?

It is fine to use the dongle only, as it was designed to drive headphones directly.

 

[Deckard01]

First of all thank you @staticV3 for your answers!

No issue.

I check know and I see that with high gain set it can drive them with more authority.

Why do you think it's not working properly?

I do not know which gain is better to drive my cans or cause any issue or distortion of what gain to choose. As from the past I was a bit confused of what amp etc..
can drive K701.

As with my HD600 and 4.4 balance to high gain everything is working very nice.

High gain may result in an output voltage high enough to clip your Amp.
Other than that, no issue.

What does that mean exactly? I try both, but when I set my dac to 100% volume and start to use my amplifier volume control everything was fine.

My cable is a 3.5mm-->2 rca budget cable. I do not know if needs a 4.4mm-->2 rca cable for that connection or something else maybe more expensive or because as I have seen only RU7 has line out, my method maybe is not correct.


Thanks you very much for the help!

 

[staticV3]

I do not know which gain is better to drive my cans or cause any issue or distortion of what gain to choose. As from the past I was a bit confused of what amp etc..
can drive K701.

Use the lowest gain that still allows you to reach satisfying volume.

What does that mean exactly?

Amps have a maximum permissible input voltage, beyond which the Amp's input circuitry or output circuitry will overload, resulting in horrible clipping noises.

My cable is a 3.5mm-->2 rca budget cable. I do not know if needs a 4.4mm-->2 rca cable for that connection

Never use a 4.4mm->2x RCA cable. It can destroy your dongle.

You can convert:
single-ended to single-ended (3.5->RCA)
single-ended to differential (3.5->XLR)
differential to differential (XLR->TRS)

But never differential to single-ended (4.4->RCA).

or something else maybe more expensive

You do not need something more expensive.

because as I have seen only RU7 has line out

All headphone outputs are also Line out. But Line out is never headphone out.

 

[Deckard01]

Amps have a maximum permissible input voltage, beyond which the Amp's input circuitry or output circuitry will overload, resulting in horrible clipping noises.

So you suggest to use the low gain when connected to external amp right?

All headphone outputs are also Line out. But Line out is never headphone out.

Did not get that, but I think you mean that every dongle i guess can been connected to external amplifier without issues through 3.mm-rca right?

If you mean that, I agree as I try it with an another dongle (go link) and was working properly too.

I was a bit confused just because only RU7 advertise that option as it's benefit and I couldn't understand why.

 

[staticV3]

So you suggest to use the low gain when connected to external amp right?

If low gain gets loud enough for you, yes.

Did not get that, but I think you mean that every dongle i guess can been connected to external amplifier without issues through 3.mm-rca right?

Right. As can every other 3.5/6.35 headphone out from a laptop, AVR, Headphone Amp, etc.