[ljbrandt]

I was hoping to upgrade my PC's Realtec ALC892's onboard audio with an external DAC for some new swan desktop speakers (m200 mkiii's).  I'm very new at this, but I have spent the last two days researching budget DACs - I do not want to spend more than $80-$100.  I may, at a later time, add in a subwoofer with RCA line inputs.
 
I've narrowed down my seach to the hifimydiy sabre es9023 dac & this dac with the cm4398 chip (http://www.ebay.com/itm/251300492816?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)
 
I was hoping someone could offer some suggestions as to the best route...I'm thinking an external dac with rca outs would be best combined with a 3.5mm jack so I could send signals simultaniously to both speakers and sub.
 
I haven't seen alot about the ebay DAC above, but the outputs are ideal and the chips seem to be held in high regard.  The Sabre seems to also be popular, but doesn't have the rca outs (i would need to split the signal separately).
 
Maybe I'm going about this all wrong...either way, let me know what you guys think!
 
hello & thanks, logan

 

[Bill St. Clair]

I have a NuForce µDAC2, which sells for $90-$100 an Amazon. Driverless USB up to 96KHz/24-bit, but no 88.2 KHz. Works well. It has pre-amp output on RCA jacks, controlled by the volume pot, and 3.5mm headphone amp output, but it outputs on only one of those at a time. If headphones are plugged in, the RCA jacks are disabled. I use a splitter cable to drive my Swans and subwoofer. Works good, both from the µDAC2 RCAs and from 3.5mm plugged into the splitter cable from my iPhone, through a 3.5mm to RCA cable and a double-female RCA coupler.