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Headphone amp (Atom vs AAA ONE) for audio interface (Babyface Pro).

  • Thread starter Deleted member 33254
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Deleted member 33254

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Hello.

I've been using RME Babyface Pro (OG, not FS) for everything pretty much since its release. The only thing that irks me through the usage is the pop up sound on the device's power up on all outputs. While i can mitigate that on my studio monitors (KH120) by simply powering them up after audio interface got on, 6.3./3.5mm headphone outputs don't have that luxury.

Since i'm content with it otherwise, I'd like to add headphone amp with muting relays to mitigate this problem. I'm currently using IEMs (Sennheiser IE900) and plan to mainly focus on them for foreseeable future.

Was thinking about dongles, but since they're all combo (amp/DAC) units and i'd like to keep using Babyface (for TotalMix, ASIO, etc) they are off the list. Atom still seems good enough (has muting relays), JDS ships directly to me (~$145, i'm not in States) and has great support (aftersale, can customize gain stages, add weight, etc). Drop/THX 3A1 is currently on sale (should be ~$175 with forwarding shipping) seems to have muting relays (saw in one review, can't find it atm), metal case with good footprint (can stack Babyface on it), lower gain for IEMs and overall should be quality product given THX in general or 789 previous performance (even though there's no 3A1 3rd party measurements). Thoughts?

About connecting it all - am i looking for 2 RCA to TRS (3.5 or 6.3) cable like this one from Cordial, for example, and then simply using Babyface headphone outputs? Are there any potential for the group loop or anything else i should be thinking about? Anything else that i might have missed?

Cheers.
 

Bob-23

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Since i'm content with it otherwise
If it's only the 'pop' - I'd keep it, as it is.

You've done the right thing with your speakers: switching them on only after having switched on your 'Babyface'. That's common practice: when switching on, first things first, when swiching off, the other way round.

The 'pop' in the headphones shouldn't be a problem, but you could do the same as you do with your speakers: turn the volume down each time when you stop listening. That's a general recommendation, anyway.

I wouldn't buy one of these dongles, no matter how good their performance is - I doubt their longevity is great (if this is important to you).

Muting relays are good (if the relays are good, otherwise they might be the first parts in your amp that are failing) - but muting switch-on spikes is not enough for an amp.

A modern amp should also mute the phones when dc - higher than an accepted minimum - appears at the headphone-out, e.g. as a consequence of a 'catastrophic' failure of the last stage's opamp. These currents can easily kill a headphone. And with today's headphone prices we usually don't like that very much.

So, if you, nonetheless, decide to buy a new amp, I'd try to find one, not only with switch-on-muting, but also with a dc-muting circuit. (I added dc-muting to all my amps.)
 
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Deleted member 33254

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The 'pop' in the headphones shouldn't be a problem, but you could do the same as you do with your speakers: turn the volume down each time when you stop listening. That's a general recommendation, anyway.

The problem is that pop is actually quite loud and by that i mean that i wouldn't want to have IEMs already in my ears before the power up, for example. While i know about that general recommendation, it doesn't seems to work for Babyface Pro - adjusting/muting volume of various channels doesn't seems to do anything. I'm guessing it's just a design choice - since it's portable USB audio interface.

I wouldn't buy one of these dongles, no matter how good their performance is - I doubt their longevity is great (if this is important to you).

Yeah, that's was another grip (besides them being exclusively combo units) i had with the dongles. I usually prefer to do some research and get some proven/long lasting quality gear, set it and forget it.

Muting relays are good (if the relays are good, otherwise they might be the first parts in your amp that are failing) - but muting switch-on spikes is not enough for an amp.

A modern amp should also mute the phones when dc - higher than an accepted minimum - appears at the headphone-out, e.g. as a consequence of a 'catastrophic' failure of the last stage's opamp. These currents can easily kill a headphone. And with today's headphone prices we usually don't like that very much.

So, if you, nonetheless, decide to buy a new amp, I'd try to find one, not only with switch-on-muting, but also with a dc-muting circuit. (I added dc-muting to all my amps.)

I do for sure know that the Atom has muting relays, but not sure if there's protecting circuit in case of failure (i'd guess so, since they PCB shot in full glory on the site?). Do you know by any chance? Atom was OG choice anyways, i guess i'll just inquire JDS about it and other questions i had.
 
OP
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Deleted member 33254

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I have this device. I’m curious why you’re turning the device off? It’s bus powered, so why not sleep your computer and leave it plugged in?

Just my preference. Power outages do exist (just had 1s one today), extra power consumption (however low it is), etc. If i'm not using PC, it is off - i see no point in sleep/hibernation modes when i can get it on in 20+s.
 
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