Incorporating headphones into my pc audio system

Kijanki,

   Ah, your comments make more sense to me now.  I definitely agree that  D/A and A/D conversions are best kept to a minimum.  I was assuming an analog headphone signal could be transmitted wirelessly like those wireless sound bars, subs and surround channel systems function.  But I still need to research available products.  I think Audioengine makes something like this for under $200.  

 Thanks,
  Tim

Noble100, I assume that you want to avoid long headphone extension cord.  I have Benchmark DAC with headphone output but don't want to run cable across the room so I bought portable headphone amp.

I've never heard of direct analog wireless transmission in audio.  Some kind of modulation would have to be involved.  Even if the signal stays in analog domain it will still be altered twice (modulation, demodulation etc.)  I found that Audioengine sound bars work wirelessly with W3 adapter ($150) over 100'.  They call it "Best sounding 16-bit wireless adaptor" suggesting digital transmission.

Hi kijanki,

     I think you understand my situation and goal very well.  Yes, I'd like to avoid running a long headphone cable from the Oppo's headphone jack to my listening seat about 14-16' away.  I know this would give me what I'm after: the ability to listen via headphones to my hi-res flac music files once they've been converted to analog by the Oppo's very good internal DAC.  I was hoping for a wireless solution but the technology may not exist so I've been thinking of a few ways to accommodate  a wired solution:

     I have 2 identical leather chairs in my room, 1 along my back wall that is my current listening position with a wireless laptop and the other near the back of the room's left 23' wall with a fairly large end table next to it.     I could utilize this as a dedicated headphone station and choose to hook it up in 2 ways I been able to think of thus far:

Method#1: Run a long headphone cable from the Oppo's front 1/4" headphone jack to the end table next to my extra chair.  I could run this cable in back of my rack along the bottom of the front wall (running about 8' -half the distance of front 16' wall) and the along the bottom of my left longer wall to the end table (running about 16' back from the front wall on this 23' left wall).  I would buy a good set of headphones and just plug them into the female 1/4" jack on the end of this cable.  I'd select what to play the same way I do now for music I play through my speakers(a wireless laptop running JRiver with a Synology storage unit and the Oppo all connected via my wi-fi).

Method#2:  Run l+r rca cables from the Oppo's rear panel dedicated l+r stereo outputs (I'm using the other XLR outputs to my mono-blocks but both sets of outputs are active whenever source material is playing).  My thought is I could experiment with headphone amps with this method. I  also may need a boost in power depending on the headphones I buy.

     The Oppo also has an optical audio output but I need to research possibilities using this.
      I'm also interested in the W3 adapter you mentioned and in how you utilize a portable headphone amp in your setup even though you have the excellent Benchmark DAC.  Could you elaborate a bit on both?  I'm currently open to all suggestions and just looking for the best solution.

Thanks for your assistance,
   Tim 

" I found that Audioengine sound bars work wirelessly with W3 adapter ($150) over 100'. They call it "Best sounding 16-bit wireless adaptor" suggesting digital transmission."

Hi kijanki,

     Yes, the W3 adapter and anything utilizing Bluetooth don't seem acceptable since they require additional A/D and D/A conversions.  I visited a couple of electronics stores today and  all their suggestions were Bluetooth based, too.  If a wireless solution that doesn't involve additional conversions does not surface, it looks like a wired solution may be required.

Thanks,
   Tim

Hi Tim,  My situation might be different, since I don't use CDP.  I transfer music from computer/server located next to my armchair over WiFi to Airport Express and then thru optical to DAC.  Headphone amp is next to me plugged into computer's (Mac Mini) USB.  Sound quality of this amp is fantastic.  New "SE" version uses ESS Sabre ES9028-Q2M  D/A converter and discrete output stage.  It also has strong lithium battery (charged thru USB) allowing me to used it with my phone's USB.  In case you wonder - No, I don't work for Oppo  :)

Longer cable should work and I also like idea of separate place/armchair for headphone listening.  People replace headphone cables with better quality ones, often longer.  For instance Cardas makes quality cables for Sennheiser HD600 family headphones.  I'm not sure how long.  They don't specify so perhaps it can be made to order.