To use the second zone (which is a good method of feeding audio to your headphone amp), you will need to provide a stereo analog input to the 990. This could be done by connecting the left/right analog output of the 981HD to any free input on the 990 (either the DVD input that you are probably using anyway or some other input). If you use the DVD input and have that input configured to use a digital input, the second zone will still use the analog stereo input because that's the only one it has access to. And since all outputs of the 981HD are active simultaneously, this should work fine.

Using the pre-amp outputs will sort of negate the value of the headphones: you will be using the same source for both headphones and speakers, and you will be sharing a volume control between the two. You could mute the headphones by turning off the headphone amp, but the only way to mute the speakers would be to turn off the power amp - feasible, but not something that seems convenient.

You will need to make sure that you select a stereo processing mode (otherwise the data sent to the other channels will not make it to your headphones). What are you doing with the main system's speakers?

Thanks, Gonk,

I was experimenting with stereo, bypass, upsample and PLII music (which seems almost overproccessed).

I'm currently doing very little with the main system's speakers as they're still in the shop, in the process of a rebuild. I should have received them over a month ago, but am told it'll only be a few more weeks ... uh huh! lol So, in the mean time, it's headphones all the way.

While the 990's headphone amp is sufficient, it doesn't compare with this external headphone amp. The K701's like power and so if you like more of an analytical sound, the 990's headphone amp is fine. If you're interested in bass, colour, depth, richness and texture, then, adding an external headphone amp is like entering a new world.

Anyway, that's where I'm at now. And, again, thanks.

John

If you are only using the headphones, then using the main pre-amp outputs is a reasonable approach to take. Once you get speakers going again, I'd recommend that you think about adding a couple extra analog cables so that you can use the second zone.

Be aware that using PLII with just two speakers (as in the case of headphones) is probably not worth doing anyway. You may very well have some signal being re-routed to other channels. I'd stick with just stereo, bypass, and upsample.

Thanks, Gonk,

I will.

And, as always, thank you for your help!

John