Headphone Adapter Available Now.

WARNING: WE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT, OR MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT. Headphones were not designed to be used as speakers, and it would be very easy to ruin a pair of headphones by driving them with too much power. It would also be very easy to have the adapter set up incorrectly and damage headphones or the adapter when using. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

Features and Specifications.

4Ω, 8Ω, 16Ω amplifier impedance selections.
Stepped attentuator..
Two outputs.
Gold plated six way binding posts for speaker level inputs.
10 watt input maximum.
Amplifiers are loaded even if headphones are NOT plugged in.

The La Dolce Audio HA2.1 is the latest version of the headphone adapter we have been making for almost 15yrs. It is a completely passive device, that impedance matches headphones with any amplifier, but is especially made for our amplifiers all being lower wattage tube amplifiers.

Since it leverages the impedance of the headphones against a power output of a speaker level amplifier a several ohm change will only effect a tiny change the amplifier sees in an impedance change.

Recommended Use

For use with any headphones and any amplifier, although we urge strong caution when using higher wattage amplifiers, too much output from a speaker level amplifier could ruin the voice coils of speakers, or if no headphones are plugged in ruin the Headphone adapter itself. We also recommend starting out with the headphone adapter on its lowest setting which is completely off not signal will pass through, then setting the level one step clockwise from the no signal position. Then simply adjust the volume on your speaker level amplifier until it is loud enough for you to hear comfortably. This way you will attain the highest signal to noise level. The higher you turn the adapter up the lower your signal to noise ratio will become.

Using the input impedance switch. Obviously we anticipate your knowing the speaker impedance your amplifier was designed to drive. If not start with the 8Ω position on the selector switch, then proceed with the above instructions. It will not hurt the adapter to or your headphones to select between impedances during; use, nor will it damage the adapter to step between level settings on the stepped attenuator. Although too much level on headphones can ruin the voice coils be putting in too much signal compared to their intended capacity. ALWAYS START WITH THE VOLUME ON YOUR AMPLIFIERS TURNED ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND THE HEADPHONE ADAPTER DOWN WHEN PLUGGING IN HEADPHONES.

There are two outputs on the front for use in comparing headphones or by powering a preamp and a pair of headphones at the same time. We do not recommending leaving headphones plugged in to the adapter when the adapter is using a integrated amplifier as a preamplifier. If you have specific needs in this regard a qualified technician can help you make the alterations you need.

There are other convenient uses of this device, such as converting a integrated vacuum tube amplifier into a preamplifier, or using the adapter as a level matching device for speaker drivers. There are even more uses when you need a speaker output to drive something that is higher impedances than speakers.

We have been considering making a similar larger passive headphone/preamplifier device. It would also have various inputs some line level and others speaker levels like this device. Some of its features would be passive EQ(bass,midrange, and treble), and passive crossfade and balance controls. We would love to hear what our customers think of this idea. The objective is to make it as transparent as possible, so a transformer coupling would be ideal, although MUCH more costly.