Eleven Rack: Headphone Output Impedance & Amp Output Tech Specs

[Sorefingers]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

My preferred headphones for listening are Sennheiser HD600 and the Eleven Rack has problems driving them well. When I just want to operate on headphones I run the mains out to an Corda headphone amp, night and day difference. I love the Eleven Rack but I suspect the headphone stage on the Eleven Rack is built down to the same cost-cutting standard as the headphone stage on the Mbox.

Ah no we don't need Eleven Rack dedicated amps, you just need to buy a good and powerful full range cab and a modern solid state amp, or good powered full range speakers. Or a good clean valve amp if that tickles your fancy. All available from many suppliers today.


Darryl

Could you explain what output, cables, and Corda amp you use? I'm trying a similar setup.

Thanks

[Darryl Ramm]

I have a Corda HeadAmp 1 Mk. II (about ten years old?) that either gets connected to the XLR main outs on the Eleven Rack with XLR to RCA cables (I made mine, just follow the standard diagrams on the web or these are easy to find pre-made) or is is connected to the RCA stereo record out loop of the pre-amp that drives my main amplifier. In any case play with the Eleven Rack volume and the Corda volume to hear what sounds better. That Corda is a great headphone amp.

If you have a headphone amp with digital input then I'd try connecting to the digital output of the Eleven Rack. I've got my eye on one of those benchmark DACs...

Darryl

[Sorefingers]

Thanks Darryl Ramm. Here's what I've come up with, and it sounds great:

S/PDIF out to my DAC. RCA outs from my DAC to my tube headphone amp.

I'm running my iPhone or iPad into the FX Returns using a line out dock with a stereo mini plug from the iDevice into a cable with a female stereo mini jack on one end and two 1/4 mono TRS male plugs on the other. You could also use a stereo mini cable straight from the headphone jack of an iDevice into the mini jack/dual TRS cable, but I think the dock output sounds better.

I'm controlling the mix from my iDevice on the FX Loop screen on the Eleven Rack. I can adjust the overall volume through my tube amp and the Eleven Rack Volume knob.

The DAC I have supports 96khz, but I only used 44.1 on my first run through of this set up.