[422561]

I am looking for a cheap DAC/Amp to connect to a PC sound card via optical. It would be for use with headphones. At the moment all I am using is Etymotic MK5 IEMs which are 32Ohm. So I am looking for a DAC/Amp with a maximum of 4 Ohm output impedance.
 
I had looked at several including:
 
1. Audioengine D1 - but has a 10Ohm output impedance
2. Denon DA300 - again the output impedance is too high.
 
Are there any cheap DAC/Amps with optical in that have a lower output impedance? I am really looking at below £150.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Your using on-board audio or an add-on internal sound card?
 
Older model FiiO E17 (not the newer E17K) comes with an optical connection.
 
Would you consider going with a O2 (Objective 2) or Schiit Magni headphone amplifier.
There is also the FiiO A3 headphone amplifier ($60 USA)
 
And maybe a (used) Asus Xonar DX sound card, to provide the DAC function.
There is also the SMSL SD-192 Pro optical DAC ($50 USA).

 

[422561]

Thanks. I looked at the E17 but I really don't want one with a built in battery. I've read some reports that once the battery dies there are problems powering it just from USB. The intended use for this is permanently connected to my PC so I don't want to take the risk. Otherwise it was a good option. A great device for me would have been a E10K with optical in.
 
I've also now seen the SMSL SD793ii which some people seem to like. That seems to be the closest to a E10K with optical in that I can find.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Thanks. I looked at the E17 but I really don't want one with a built in battery. I've read some reports that once the battery dies there are problems powering it just from USB. The intended use for this is permanently connected to my PC so I don't want to take the risk. Otherwise it was a good option. A great device for me would have been a E10K with optical in.
 
I've also now seen the SMSL SD793ii which some people seem to like. That seems to be the closest to a E10K with optical in that I can find.

 
Years ago i bought 4 DACs from SMSL, one of them was the SD793II.
The 793II did not work well straight out of the box, another DAC stopped working after 15 minutes.

 

[422561]

Right so I'll disregard the SMSL options then.
 
I think the O2 and Magni are out of my price range. The Xonar DX as a DAC wouldn't work because then the only option is line-out to an amp (the DX output impedance is way too high @ 100Ohms) and you cannot output dolby headphone via line out.
 
Thanks for the help and suggestions though.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Right so I'll disregard the SMSL options then.
 
I think the O2 and Magni are out of my price range. The Xonar DX as a DAC wouldn't work because then the only option is line-out to an amp (the DX output impedance is way too high @ 100Ohms) and you cannot output Dolby Headphone via line out.
 
Thanks for the help and suggestions though.

 
Not sure I'm following you about why you think you can't get Dolby Headphone from the Xonar DX?
The Xonar DX outputs Dolby Headphone from the Front Speaker/Headphone jack.
So if you hook an external headphone amplifier to the Xonar DX's Front Speaker/Headphone jack, the DX will send Dolby Headphone to the amp, then the amp sends it to the headphones.

 

[422561]

I've always thought you plugged line out into an amp otherwise you are double amping.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I've always thought you plugged line out into an amp otherwise you are double amping.

 
The Xonar DX's Front Speaker/Headphone jack is more like a line-output jack that also pretends to be a headphone jack.
So it does not have any real type of headphone amplification.
The Front Speaker/Headphone jack has a 100-Ohm output impedance, which is more like a line-output, not a headphone jack.
The jack can drive headphones, but not any better then any other line-output jack.

 

[mindbomb]

I don't think the audioengine d1's output impedance will be an issue for dynamic iems. It is more a problem for balanced armature iems.