[Hunter220]

I currently have an Apple MacBook Pro that I am considering getting a Thunderbolt Monitor to work together with and was wondering if it would be detrimental to have my DAC plugged into the Thunderbolt monitor which would then be plugged into my laptop or if it would be better to have a direct plug into the MacBook Pro?
 
I was thinking that having the DAC not plugged directly into the audio source would cause problems but couldn't find any definitive proof.  Just wanted to see if anyone had tried something similar before ordering a fairly expensive monitor.
 
Thanks,
Hunter

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I currently have an Apple MacBook Pro that I am considering getting a Thunderbolt Monitor to work together with and was wondering if it would be detrimental to have my DAC plugged into the Thunderbolt monitor which would then be plugged into my laptop or if it would be better to have a direct plug into the MacBook Pro?
 
I was thinking that having the DAC not plugged directly into the audio source would cause problems but couldn't find any definitive proof.  Just wanted to see if anyone had tried something similar before ordering a fairly expensive monitor.
 
Thanks,
Hunter

 
I'm thinking to just plug the DAC directly into the source, the Macbook Pro.
 
So your looking at getting a $1000 Thunderbolt monitor?
 
Check out this Monoprice 27" $400 monitor, I believe it uses the same LG AH-IPS panel as the $1000 Thunderbolt.
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=113&cp_id=11307&cs_id=1130703&p_id=10489&seq=1&format=2

 

[linglingjr]

I agree... A 4k monitor will run you half that price for crying out loud!

 

[Hunter220]

Thanks for the recommendations, I was considering the Apple one because our company buys all Apple products and I would be able to get it for a pretty big discount.  Had been hoping they would release a new one with the launch of the new iMac but no luck on that yet.
 
Thanks,
Hunter

 

[Currawong]

Plugging it into the monitor is unlikely to be a problem. Selecting a port on the MacBook Pro which has a separate USB bus just for the port is supposed to be the most ideal. If it's a bus-powered DAC, power supply ripple is more likely to be sonically detrimental IMO, but it very much depends on the DAC. I've had radically different experiences with different DACs.