TOPIC:

If I configure the SHD to output 2.1 channels (eg stereo speakers and sub) on outputs 1,2 and 3, is there any easy way to use headphones or a headphone amp, if I’m streaming music from the SHD itself?

Bialymn wrote:

If I configure the SHD to output 2.1 channels (eg stereo speakers and sub) on outputs 1,2 and 3, is there any easy way to use headphones or a headphone amp, if I’m streaming music from the SHD itself?

You'd need a headphone amp.

If the headphone amp has an analogue passthrough you can use this, or if the headphone amp has a DAC you could use a digital connection. Otherwise you'd need some sort of switch to go between to be able to change what inputs are connected to what. I use one of the following in my system as an example:

www.amazon.co.uk/HQ-3-Way-Stereo-Input-C...%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-13

Thanks but I’m still not sure about this. eg the SHD is configured output 1 - left ch, output 2 - right ch and output 3 - sub. If I just use either digital or analogue outputs 1&2 to feed the headphone amp, would it not be missing the low frequencies, which have been routed to the sub? I know I could use a headphone amp before the SHD, but I want to use the SHD as a streamer (eg Volumio/Tidal) and listen to that on headphones.

Bialymn wrote:

Thanks but I’m still not sure about this. eg the SHD is configured output 1 - left ch, output 2 - right ch and output 3 - sub. If I just use either digital or analogue outputs 1&2 to feed the headphone amp, would it not be missing the low frequencies, which have been routed to the sub? I know I could use a headphone amp before the SHD, but I want to use the SHD as a streamer (eg Volumio/Tidal) and listen to that on headphones.

You would use a different preset for headphone listening, which you'd define to send the full frequency range signal to the headphones.

Doh.... ! Of course. Thanks. I totally forgot about presets!

Last question. Would it be ok to have SHD set up like this for headphone use...

Analogue unbalanced outputs 1,2,3 to active stereo speakers and sub
But then hook up a balanced headphone amp to analogue balanced outputs 1&2
Switch between the above two using different SHD presets

The headphone amp would be switched off (but still connected) when listening to speakers. When listening to headphones, the speakers would be muted.