CD player - power amplifier direct connection


Hi,

I connect my old Sennheiser HD 530 II headphones (nominal impedance: 300 Ω, sensitivity at 1kHz: 94 db, power handling capacity: 200 mW) directly to the output RCAs of my CD/DVD/Blu-ray players via an adapter, as these players have not the headphones output. I cannot change the volume, but I find that it is always very good with both CDs and DVDs/BDs. By this minimal setting, I find that the headphones performance is very good.

I would like to try the direct connection between my Proceed PCD3 CD player and my Jeff Rowland Model One power amplifier by the use of balanced cables, so as to avoid the preamplifier device and - I imagine - to obtain higher performance from my ML Aerius. My Proceed CD player has not a volume control (I know that CD-player integrated volume controls commonly show very poor quality), but I presumed that, as for headphones, it would always be quite optimal (I have not audio volume problems in my house).

Some audio experts, however, have told me that this test would be very dangerous for the security of my system, but they have not clarified why...

May someone help me to understand the problem?

Thank you very much.

Luca
luca58

Showing 2 responses by almarg

Don't do it!

Based on a quick look at the specs, it appears that on high volume musical peaks the voltage sent into the amplifier by the PCD3 would be approximately twice as much as the voltage that is required to drive the amplifier to its maximum power capability. In other words, the amplifier's output would be severely clipped and distorted on those peaks, not to mention that the volume level would undoubtedly be extremely excessive. The results could include damage to the speakers (clipped waveforms tend to destroy tweeters, because they have much greater high frequency content than the original signal), as well as damage to the amplifier and your ears.

The relevant specs (CD player output voltage and amplifier input sensitivity), btw, are in the same general ballpark for most other players and amplifiers as well.

Regards,
-- Al