Amp cuts out using headphones

Englishbob

Englishbob

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Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
601
Location
Dayton, Ohio
I hope one of you wise heads can help me here. I have a nad c326bee and a Schitt magni headphone amp. The problem is the nad powers off after about an hour of listening and not just into standby but all the way off. This only happens when listening to headphones ( senny hd600's) through the magni which I have connected to the tape out.
Neither the Magni or Nad are hot to the touch so I'm not sure what's going on. 🤔😟
 
So according to the Nad manual the only ways this would happen is it's either overheating (it's not) or that the ' overall loudspeaker impedance is below 4 ohms'. Can someone explain what that means and how to avoid it?
I know @HiFi Guy you're a Nad guy.
 
Connected to the tape out? Never heard of such a thing- ever. Not with any brand.

You can call NAD tech support in Canada toll free. That’s what I’d do.

1 800 263 4666
 
Could you try setting up with the Magni in between the PHO-8 and the NAD? Then when you listen to headphones, the NAD will be out of the chain and turned off. Note that when headphones are plugged in to the Magni, the preamp outputs will mute, so you would have to unplug your headphones to listen through the speakers.

turntable > PHO-8 > Magni > NAD > speakers
 
dansomeone said:
Could you try setting up with the Magni in between the PHO-8 and the NAD? Then when you listen to headphones, the NAD will be out of the chain and turned off. Note that when headphones are plugged in to the Magni, the preamp outputs will mute, so you would have to unplug your headphones to listen through the speakers.

turntable > PHO-8 > Magni > NAD > speakers
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Hmmm, maybe I'll give this a shot before I call Nad. So when listening through speakers I just leave the Magni powered on and it won't color the output?
 
Englishbob said:
Hmmm, maybe I'll give this a shot before I call Nad. So when listening through speakers I just leave the Magni powered on and it won't color the output?
Click to expand...

It will affect it because it’s running through it. Whether that’s a neggative effect is difficult to say until you try it. Generally It’s never a good idea to have 2 volume pots in series like that, it’s why attached to the tape out is generally a better call but it might be worth giving it a go to troubleshoot. I’d already have been on to NAD if I was you because it feels like something is wrong regardless.
 
Englishbob said:
Hmmm, maybe I'll give this a shot before I call Nad. So when listening through speakers I just leave the Magni powered on and it won't color the output?
Click to expand...
You would be doing what @HayesWeighsIn does, using the Magni as a preamp. Your NAD then is essentially a power amp, but you can tweak its volume too, when necessary
HayesWeighsIn said:
Great question. I actually dial both simultaneously depending on the record. It’s a balance.
Click to expand...
 
dansomeone said:
You would be doing what @HayesWeighsIn does, using the Magni as a preamp. Your NAD then is essentially a power amp, but you can tweak its volume too, when necessary
Click to expand...
Ok, I have changed my chain to see what happens and if it changes the color of the sound.🤞
Thanks for throwing this option out there @dansomeone and @HayesWeighsIn .
 
Update time, and not a good one. I didn't like the way things sounded with the Magni in the chain so I changed it back.
I then wondered to myself if perhaps the auto shutdown on the Nad had reset to on somehow. So I reset it so it wouldn't shutdown after 30 mins when it detects no sound.
Plug in headphones and sit back to listen. Twenty minutes in the Nad shuts down. And I mean off. No power at all. No reset, no unplug and replug. Take casing off and discover a blown fuse. A trip to the hardware store is in my future and hopefully that's the only thing wrong with the Nad.😟🤷‍♂️🤔.
 
Whew! Fuse changed and the Nad is working fine. I have removed the Magni completely for now until I figure out what's going on.
 
Englishbob said:
Whew! Fuse changed and the Nad is working fine. I have removed the Magni completely for now until I figure out what's going on.
Click to expand...
I’m wondering if the Mani is putting some weird load on the NAD. I looked at the specs and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary though.

Have you tried your headphones with the NAD?
 
HiFi Guy said:
I’m wondering if the Mani is putting some weird load on the NAD. I looked at the specs and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary though.

Have you tried your headphones with the NAD?
Click to expand...
I used to always use headphones with the Nad but got the Schitt because I wasn't happy with sound quality directly out the Nad.
 
I think the Nad is done 🙁. Blown fuses just when turning the volume down a tad. Just turning it down from 10 o'clock to 9 caused it to blow 3 times in the last week. No service centers in my state. I'm going to contact them in the morning but not holding out much hope.
 
Recommendations on a new amp? I have a Plx and Vincent pho8 ( although I will upgrade the vinny maybe, at some point). Speakers are Polk RTi a7's. I don't understand wattage and ohms' so looking for pointers 🙄😁. Oh and one with a good headphone amp built in if possible.
 
Englishbob said:
I think the Nad is done 🙁. Blown fuses just when turning the volume down a tad. Just turning it down from 10 o'clock to 9 caused it to blow 3 times in the last week. No service centers in my state. I'm going to contact them in the morning but not holding out much hope.
Click to expand...
Even if you have to box it and send it to a service center, that’s cheaper than a new amp by far.
 
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