You can get a Focusrite 2i2 for $150 or less, I just checked.   If you went the full $200 you could get the 2i4. Which has more channels so you could listen to different programs on speakers and headphones at the same time. (Don't knock it, it's sa surprisingly useful option on occasion.  ...

  No. Not really. Provided the OEM manufacturer follows the supplied default support circuit recommendation the unit will perform as per spec. i.e. at least one order of magnitude better than human hearing. That's not to say some manufacturers don't skimp on the suggested recommendation in...

The reason no one has replied yet is because you left off an option in the poll. viz None of the above.   Headphone amps don't 'improve' the sound quality poer se. That's impossible. The reason you might want one is for one of two reasons.   1. FR differences due to the output impedance of...

Hmmh. Even at the special offer price of $400 it's easily possible to get transparent audio, all the functionality (and much more from) plus it's own power supply from alternative suppliers.   Focusrite 2i4 and 6i6. MOTU Microbook and Audio Express. native instruments Audio 6 to name just a...

Get yourself a proper audio interface. You know it makes sense.

There is never any point at all going XLR > RCA.   It will always function as a unbalanced connection and therefore be more prone to noise, earth loops and be quieter.   Go XLR > XLR if you can and both ends are balanced. Otherwise you might as well use RCA > RCA.

None of the above.   The most important component by far is the loadspeakers you chose to buy. Genelec and Dynaudio make professional grade products. You should buy a USB capable monitor controller or audio interface designed to work with such active monitors. USB is technically superior to...

Well not totally flat, obviously. You do have room on the right to fit one in between the desk and the bed. The drawers on the desk don't reach to the floor so you should be able to fit one in there too. You night have to move th entire desk out a few inches.   There are different models. Some...

The best place to look for what you want is from the pro and semi pro audio suppliers.   For less than your budget you can get something really excellent. Start by having a look at audio interfaces such as.   Focusrite Scarlet 6i6, Native Instruments audio 6 or either the MOTU microbook or...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-Female-Stereo-Coupler-Plug/dp/B003L151AY   Job done!

The first thing you need to know mate is that there is no such thing as a 'high end' 2.1 system. Not with music anyhow.   Not unless you sit on the sub. Even then you might get phase issues, It's true that with a bit of experimentation and ingenuity you might get one or two places in a room...

I don't know if it's the very cheapest but the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 gets good reviews, has balanced outs for connection to monitors and costs ~$150, 125 Euro. £90.   http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2/specifications

Pretty much any current model DAC at any price should be 100% transparent to the human ear.   So provided you avoid any of the dodgier 'design by ear' boutique brands and stick with professional grade products you will not find any difference in SQ quality.   So to get your moneys worth with...

Currently my favourite brand of small nearfields for duplicating the sound of a great club or venue PA playing dance music loud is Eve Audio of Berlin, Germany.   Mrs Ron liked my Adam A3X so much so demanded a pair of her own and wouldn't be palmed off with the cheap stuff neither. So me...

  Sure. Why not?   Use the analogue outputs 3-4 (RCA) on the 2i4 to the analogue ins on the Element. These are fixed line level unbalanced outputs so there is no chance of you overloading the line ins and you can use either the analogue control on the Element or your DAW to control headphone...

  A better smartphone first. Then a better set of headphones/earphones.   Check out this series of iphone audio reviews. Compares very well to Audioengine D3, the Dragonfly and TEAC UD501 ......   http://archimago.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/measurements-apple-iphone-4-iphone-6.html   Only one...

Always good to get a variety of opinion.   Gift card is a good suggestion. Then again if you go down that route why restrict his options at all? Why not ask him? He probably already has his own preference? Something his mates or a mentor recommends? What's currently cool. He might even get a...

  because you can put some tunes on and relax without being pestered to death by demands you share. love, add to yet another bloody playlist, watch the sodding video, wait while we share a few choice words with our sponsor, pay for an in tune addon upgrade, upload to the cloud or any of the...

There are basically three classes of pro audio headphones.   1. The ones the talent wears when recording or performing.   These tend to be hard wearing, inexpensive, comfortable and have good isolation. Generally over ear , closed back designs. Impedance tends to be high (~600 Ohm) and...

The 2i4 is two DACs. Balanced line outs and unbalanced (RCA) line outs are completely separate signal paths. So it's like two DACs in one box. That's why it's perfect for what you need. XLR balanced out for the monitors, unbalanced RCA line out for the other thing.   You need not worry about...

A good rule of thumb is to spend ~20% of your budget on your Interface/DAC. So you are looking around $200 to add to your 305s, headphones and the tube amp you already have.   That's actually a more than adequate budget. So you can get something decent with transparent conversion, flexible...

I thought the pokketmixer was fun device for the money myself but like I said earlier cheap analogue mixers are rarely a good investment. A digital mixer at the same price will always be better and more reliable.   An audio interface is effectively a DAC, an ADC, a mixer, a channel strip, a...

In order to combine more than one signal, vary the relative volume of each and stay within safe limits you need a mixer. By definition. That's what a mixer does. Mixers do come in different forms though.   I used to use a decent quality, branded, small format mixer like Fields. In my case a...

Perhaps of more concern is what motherboard on board audio you have.   Anything realtek ALC889 or later (or equivalent) is likely to be transparent. http://stephan.win31.de/music.htm#onboard    So you are unlikely to be able get audibly better sound. Of course you might want an interface for...

You should be able to find something like this:- http://www.gale.co.uk/120.html   Can you fit inexpensive, flexible stands just behind your desk?   https://www.studiospares.com/Accessories/Stands-Speaker/Studiospares-Triangle-Base-Speaker-Stand-1_448870.htm