I've been using an old-but-good Tascam Porta One, (the cassette tape
section of which hasn't been used in years), to connect the line out
from my PC soundcard to headphones. The Porta One is a bit bulky and
I'd like to get something smaller just for this purpose. But I would
like it to have at least as good sound quality and be at least as
quiet as my Porta One (which has a certain amount of hiss to be sure).
Is there something that fits the bill?

Anyone have experience with any of the lower cost ones listed on B&H?
http://tinyurl.com/8nyx5

Richy wrote:

I've been using an old-but-good Tascam Porta One, (the cassette tape
section of which hasn't been used in years), to connect the line out
from my PC soundcard to headphones. The Porta One is a bit bulky and
I'd like to get something smaller just for this purpose. But I would
like it to have at least as good sound quality and be at least as
quiet as my Porta One (which has a certain amount of hiss to be sure).
Is there something that fits the bill?

Anyone have experience with any of the lower cost ones listed on B&H?
http://tinyurl.com/8nyx5

I've got a Behringer U8802 fo interfacing with the computer
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=264884&is=REG

and I'm pretty happy with it. It'll do anything a Porta 01 will do,
is smaller, and sounds better.

If you're only looking for a headphone amp it's overkill, but it's
small and cheap enough that that shouldn't matter.

--
// Walt

On Sun, 20 Nov 2005 18:18:10 -0500, Walt
wrote:

Richy wrote:

I've been using an old-but-good Tascam Porta One, (the cassette tape
section of which hasn't been used in years), to connect the line out
from my PC soundcard to headphones. The Porta One is a bit bulky and
I'd like to get something smaller just for this purpose. But I would
like it to have at least as good sound quality and be at least as
quiet as my Porta One (which has a certain amount of hiss to be sure).
Is there something that fits the bill?

Anyone have experience with any of the lower cost ones listed on B&H?
http://tinyurl.com/8nyx5

I've got a Behringer U8802 fo interfacing with the computer
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=264884&is=REG

and I'm pretty happy with it. It'll do anything a Porta 01 will do,
is smaller, and sounds better.

If you're only looking for a headphone amp it's overkill, but it's
small and cheap enough that that shouldn't matter.

That looks like a nice mixer for the price. I'd rather have something
smaller for this purpose with a configuration with jacks on the back
and control knob(s) on the front face so I can stack it with some
other similar sized switchboxes.

I'm sure anything would work. My concern is about the sound quality of
whatever circuitry I'm introducing into the signal path between the
soundcard and the headphones - both of which are clean/high quality
(Audiophile 2496 and Sony SU-V6). I don't want to introduce any
distortion beyond what is there already. Would using, for example, a
really cheap $15 set of desktop speakers with a headphone jack introduce
distortion to the signal? Or is the distortion in those cheap speakers
coming from the speakers themselves and not the amplifier circuit
connected to the headphones jack?

I'm considering getting one of those powered speaker systems like
Creative Inspire T3000 $50 or more the expensive Logitech Z-2300 $150.
Because they have nice remote (wired) volume controls with headphone
jacks that you can place right next to your keyboard or where ever it's
handy.

Another option would be a small headphone mixer like from Artcessories
or Rolls. Anyone use those? I only need a single headphone out.

Or just getting a smaller, more compact stereo integrated amp than the
one I'm currently using for this purpose which is a full-size home audio
Technics unit which is taking up valuable space on my desk.

Any suggestions?