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Topic: Help with nailing down the DAC (Read 1801 times) previous topic - next topic
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Help with nailing down the DAC

Hello everyone,
I know there have been many similar threads, but I wanted to just clear some confusion I was having. I am novice level, but I have been researching for a past few days and have gained good knowledge thanks to you guys (some other forums did confused me more than they helped).
I have received a good Amp from a friend, which takes in RCA input and has balanced outptut+ unbalanced output. I have ordered beyer 880 (250 ohms). My source will be my laptop, with  I have a few doubts regarding the DAC. I understand there is no point spending too much. That said, I don't want to go for the UCA 202s and similar, as good as they might be,  just for the satisfaction. Hence these are the few options I have in mind sub 200 (cheaper is preferred)

-ODAC , which retails for 170 at JDS labs with RCA output
-HRT music streamer ii (~180 at amazon) also RCA output
-HRT microstreamer (~190 amazon) USB stick, has a headphone out as well.
-Fiio E10 (~75 at amazon). Only issue I am having is the NwAvGuy mentioned it has some limitations regarding its
-Audioengine D1
-Audioengine D3 (189 at amazon), small USB DAC

If you guys have any better suggestions around these price, please let me know. But I am looking to nail it down, without having much confusion, so I will go with the consensus here.
Thanks a lot for your input.

Help with nailing down the DAC

Reply #1 –
Unless there is some problem with the laptop's output that you haven't mentioned, I wouldn't bother.

Help with nailing down the DAC

Reply #2 –
^What Saratoga said. I have the exact same headphones and the Fiio E10. It works fine but I've also used them plugged straight into my laptop and had no problems.

Help with nailing down the DAC

Reply #3 –
Quote
I have received a good Amp from a friend, which takes in RCA input and has balanced outptut+ unbalanced output.
If this is a headphone amp, it doesn't have balanced outputs.  It may have optional balanced inputs, but headphones have a common ground for left & right so they can't have a balanced connection.

If you are not getting excessive noise from your laptop's headphone output, a DAC won't improve things.  Just about any soundcard/soundchip has flat frequency response and low distortion.  So, when it comes to "sound quality" noise is the ONLY thing you have to worry about.  (Impedance related and frequency-response variations can also be an issue when directly driving headphones.)   

If you feel the noise is excessive, you can try a USB soundcard.  I picked-up a StarTech USB soundcard for around $20 and it's dead silent with my headphones (with no sound playing  )  You might hear some noise if you amplify the output, but I don't hear any with just the headphones connected.

With 250 Ohm headphones, you won't have any "impedance issues" connecting directly to your soundcard, but you may need the amplifier to get them loud enough.

I realize that you already have the headphone amp, but if I were buying a separate DAC, I'd look for one with a built-in headphone amp.  It shouldn't cost any more and it's fewer "boxes & wires" to mess with.

Help with nailing down the DAC

Reply #4 –
Quote
If this is a headphone amp, it doesn't have balanced outputs. It may have optional balanced inputs, but headphones have a common ground for left & right so they can't have a balanced connection.

The amp has 2 XLR combo jack, so I would guess it has both balanced as well as unbalanced.

I still haven't received the headphones, so I can't yet comment on the integrated DAC's quality since my current earphones have quite clear distortion. With no sound playing, there is absolute silence(no noise) on my earphones but I don't know if it changes when I actually play a sound file. I will update you guys about the DACs quality when I receive them.

Thanks.

Help with nailing down the DAC

Reply #5 –
If you don't hear hiss, and you're going to amp it anyway, its probably fine.

That said you can test with RMAA if you want to be sure.