Using the C1100 Headphone Jack?

[PMCH]

Does anyone use the headphone jack in their C1100? I have new Focal Utopia headphones and they sound great plugged into the C1100 but I wonder if I get a decent dedicated headphone amp will I hear significant improvement in sound quality. I did hear significant improvement when I put in a dedicated phono preamp and wonder if a decent headphone amp will provide similar improvement.
So far I prefer the HXD off.
Does anyone know if the headphone output on the C1100 is a tied into the tubes since the tubes are only labeled for high level, MC & MM?

If I get a new headphone amp, I believe that I would want to run balanced cables from the C1100 output 2 into the headphone amp so I can switch between my CD player and Dac easily. Does this make sense and does anyone have any suggestions?

I think this may have been discussed before, but when I plug the headphones in the speakers don't mute. I have been just turning the output to the speakers off so they don't both play at the same time so it's not a big problem. I have the newest firmware update on the C1100 and thought I followed the directions but the speakers are not muting.

I have never been a headphone guy in the past but I thought I would give my wife a break when she goes to bed when I play music later into the night. Sounds good but different. It will take me a little time to get adjusted to something on my head.

Thanks for any input.

[W9TR]

I have a C1100 and use the internal headphone amp to drive my Audeze LCD-4’s which are a difficult load. The sound is just fantastic.

I also have an external headphone amp, the THX AAA 789. This head amp has the lowest noise and distortion of any headphone amp out there right now. It sounds the same as the McIntosh headphone amp in my C1100. I now use the THX AAA 789 in a second system because it was not needed with the C1100 being so good.

I have my C1100 setup to mute the main outputs and also turn off the power amps when I plug in headphones. See the manual, page 20, for all the options and how to set them up. You have total flexibility on how this all works for each of the three outputs.

Tom

[PMCH]

Tom, thanks for your input on how good the C1100 is for headphones. The sound has been getting better and better as the headphones break in with the C1100. In this hobby, I am always looking to upgrade if possible.
I am on Ver. 2.01on the C1100. I will need to play with the settings some more.

[IM3CPO]

I have a C-2600 and used a pair of Audeze LCD-X's via the headphone jack. While it did sound good, it was not as good as I was expecting; especially considering all the reviews I read of the headphones and the fact they are supposed to be the efficient variant of the Audeze lineup. I went and purchased a dedicated headphone amp (Mjoulnir 2) since they do a free in home trial and let me tell you... I cant even describe how much better everything is other than it was more of a difference than day and night! The headphone output is a joke compared to a dedicated amp....

If you listen more than casually with your headphones, get a dedicated headphone amp!

[PMCH]

The Mjoulnir is on my radar I forgot Schitt let you do a home trial. Good to know it is an improvement

[PMCH]

Update:
I recently purchased an Ayon HA-3 tube headphone amp and I am now in headphone heaven with my Focal Utopias. I am not very good with describing different equipment but I will never use the headphone output on my C1100 again. There is no comparison. I didn't compare other headphone amps. Ten seconds with the HA-3 and I have no reason to try anything else. Call me a happy camper.

[IM3CPO]

Glad you found the sound you were looking for and my experience is identical to your. I am almost wondering why McIntosh even bothers putting a headphone jack on their pre-amps. I dont think their headphone out is any lessor quality than any other pre-amp out there but when even a basic ($600) dedicated headphone amp is orders of magnitude better, it just seems pointless.

[Dylan Morris]

They also put headphone sockets on their CD players. My MCD1100 is rather poor compared with the inbuilt socket on my MA8000 which sounds pretty good to me. Always interested as to how it would compare with a good dedicated headphone amp though.

[Msegal]

I tried a Focal Utopia headphone in my C500T a few years ago.

It didn’t take me long to wrap up the headphones and return them.

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by PMCH

Update:
I recently purchased an Ayon HA-3 tube headphone amp and I am now in headphone heaven with my Focal Utopias. I am not very good with describing different equipment but I will never use the headphone output on my C1100 again. There is no comparison. I didn't compare other headphone amps. Ten seconds with the HA-3 and I have no reason to try anything else. Call me a happy camper.

The Ayon is one great headphone amp. Enjoy!