2 headphones at a time

[gopi]

Hi,

I am not sure if this is right sub section for this and this is my first post a head case My requirement is following:

I need to be able to share my music with my gf. So, the main question here is, can I use a y splitter with any amplifier. Lets say with a pico?

Or do I need to go only for units with 2 headphone outs.

I need a single unit as my UAB DAC/Headphone amp for convenience of moving it around. I am ready to shell out around $1k for the unit apart from headphones. My choices with 2 headphone outs:

1. Meier Audio Opera/ Symphony - Symphony is really costly and for Opera I am getting only the 0,120 ohm versions. Shouldn't I need both h/p outs as 0 ohms

2. Benchmark Dac1 - Might be clinical and sterile for my tastes?

3. Headroom Desktop / Desktop Portable - Seems good

4. Audiotrak Dr. Dac2 - Its not in the same league as others?

5. Musical Fidelity X Can V8 - Dac is very ordinary?

I would love it if people say I can use a y splitter with Pico.

Also, headphone would mostly be a Denon AH D2000. I am not so inclined to go for 2 Denon's. But, if its bad to use a 2 different headphone models, then I will go for 2 Denons.

I am based out of India and have no chance to listen to any of these unfortunately.

I really appreciate your help here.

[Voltron]

Pico with a Y-splitter should work fine unless you are trying to drive two very hungry headphones at the same time.

[guzziguy]

The problem with this approach is that both people have to be happy with the volume unless you put an attenuator on one of the headphones. The volume difference will be exacerbated if you are using headphones of much different sensitivities.

[grawk]

I think the best solution might be to get a couple different amps, and split the source instead.

[gopi]

Voltron,

Thanks for the quick reply. I would be using 2 Denon AH D2000, they seem to need quite come current. So, would you think these would be fine. Or alternatively, what 2 other high headphones you would recommend from Senn, AT, AKG, Beyers?

[gopi]

more replies

I can add an attenuator. But, my worry will be if 2 different impedances can affect the amp/headphones or sound quality.

Splitting the source is an option I considered as well, but how can a laptop be connected to 2 different DAC's at the same time?

[grawk]

1 dac, 2 amps

computper->dac->splitter->2 amps

[gopi]

hehe!! thanks for that idea, but I would be then moving away from a 1 box to 3 box solution then. I am ok with alteast 2 boxes when 2 listeners and 1 box when 1 listener.

[blessingx]

1 dac, 2 amps

How many cups?

For fun I just plugged a couple HD580s into a Grado Y-splitter and then Grado 1/4-mini adapter and the Pico handled them easily. You should be fine with two Denons or very similar impedance/efficiency (or out of balanced equally with preferred listening levels) cans (as long as they're not crazy power hungry).

[gopi]

blessingx, thanks for that test. Will wait for a couple of more folks to validate that before I take the final plunge.

[Sherwood]

Though it's not in the same league as the Pico, Headroom's Total Bithead has a built in DAC and two separate headphone jacks. They're tied together internally so they share a volume control, but it's a reasonably elegant option for ~$150.

[Nenso]

I've used the Pico with a y-splitter and it works with my ATH-A950LTD + ATH-W1000, although the audible volume differences are quite frustrating. I do not reccomend long listening hours using a splitter.

[Fungi]

Hint: attenuator

[padam]

Is there any difference (besides the price) between 1/4 splitters? Like Kimber or Grado or noname. I am planning to use it with a Gilmore Lite so power shouldn't be a problem, the question is sound quality. Thanks.

[hYdrociTy]

save the money...

if you two listen at different levels, keep it at the lower volume preference, because here's your chance to adapt your listening to lower levels which is always good for your ears. Doing it while listening with a partner helps much more than trying to listen under your own desired level because then you have no choice but to bear it and in the end your ears benefit.

[Knuckledragger]

My housemate used to wear two headphones at the same time, so he could play video games + listen to music at the same time. He used earbuds for the music, and circumnaurals for the video game noises. He's seen here with the outer pair moved out of the way:

I took this pic when I was testing out a 50mm prime, using my external flash bounced off the ceiling. I got sick of waiting for him to remove two pairs of headphones when I needed to talk to him, so I built him a rig based on one of my old DJ mixers so he only needs one pair of cans now.

...oh, you weren't talking about wearing two sets of 'phones at once? Neevermiiiiind.

[Dusty Chalk]

Three issues -- impedance mismatch, sensitivity mismatch, and different listening levels.

So potentially you'll have an impedance mismatch, so try to pick phones of similar impedance. There could still be variations at certain frequencies that peak or dip at the same time, making things worse for the amp, and exaggerate a frequency issue that wasn't there with just one. Unlikely, but potentially a problem.

Sensitivity issue -- same results, slightly different cause (albeit related).

Listening levels -- previously discussed and self explanatory, I would hope.

We actually had this problem when we were doing some listening tests with an EAR headphone amp. The Sennheisers were much less sensitive than the Grados, so the person listening to the Sennheisers was at a disadvantage at being able to hear differences, much less anything. I have a reputation for listening at an entire notch lower than anyone else, but the difference was too much even for me. So don't think that you can necessarily cancel out the third problem with a judicious choice of headphones.

[padam]

I would mainly like to use it with two Creative Aurvana Live! for movies (I won't use it with the ESW10)

But I also like to see if the 'recable makes it much better' thing is a ripoff or not (I think it is cheap and simple enough to experiment with it and in this way it is easier the compare if the SQ doesn't suffer). I think I will modifiy one to a 'bass-light' version. The question is which one should I buy: Grado, Kimber or something which is cheaper.