[dan46]

hi all, new member here but long time lurker.
so, i'm just a bit confused with what to do with my desktop setup. currently have a pair of fidelio x2's running from a soundblaster e5. love the headphones but the e5 has to go as i am looking at also buying a pair of elac b6 debut or kef q100 bookshelf speakers.
i'm confused with all of these dac/amp reviews as 99% of them concentrate on how they drive headphones and nothing about speakers. am i missing something? do i need another amp to drive speakers? 
i've been looking at a few dac/amps with a budget of no more than £500 - marantz hd dac1, nad d 3020, fostex hp a4, fostex hp a3, teac ud 301.
 
i just want an all in one solution for headphones and bookshelf speakers running from my pc. headphones and speakers are equally important to me. i want to be able to just leave everything plugged in and switch from headphones to speakers without disconnecting cables (but if not, i can live with it).
i don't use cd's anymore, just stream from tidal or spotify. 
 
so can i get one of the above dac/amps for my needs? or do i need a separate amp for speakers? 
 
thanks for any advise guys.

 

[Mr Rick]

In most cases the DAC / AMP is actually a DAC / Headphone AMP / Preamp output. So, yes an additional speaker amp is necessary.  

 

[dan46]

thanks mate, thought that might be the case.
 i was hoping for an all in one solution but i guess i'll have to start looking for an amp. any suggestions for a good dac/amp and speaker amp combo for my desktop?

 

[Mr Rick]

  thanks mate, thought that might be the case.
 i was hoping for an all in one solution but i guess i'll have to start looking for an amp. any suggestions for a good dac/amp and speaker amp combo for my desktop?

I'm using a Schiit Jotunheim into a separate amplifier and then into ELAC B6s. The Jot has a capable USB only DAC.
For an amp, I'm not  sure what would be available to you, but all you really need is something akin to an Emotiva A-100, or A-300.
 
https://emotiva.com/products/emotiva/amplifiers-0
 
 
http://schiit.com/products/jotunheim
 
A possible "all in one" solution would be some sort of A/V receiver. Marantz has several, but that would probably be overkill for a two channel system.
 
 
A third option would be a DAC / AMP into powered monitor speakers. ( Amplifiers enclosed in the speaker cabinets )

 

[buke9]

hi all, new member here but long time lurker.
so, i'm just a bit confused with what to do with my desktop setup. currently have a pair of fidelio x2's running from a soundblaster e5. love the headphones but the e5 has to go as i am looking at also buying a pair of elac b6 debut or kef q100 bookshelf speakers.
i'm confused with all of these dac/amp reviews as 99% of them concentrate on how they drive headphones and nothing about speakers. am i missing something? do i need another amp to drive speakers? 
i've been looking at a few dac/amps with a budget of no more than £500 - marantz hd dac1, nad d 3020, fostex hp a4, fostex hp a3, teac ud 301.

i just want an all in one solution for headphones and bookshelf speakers running from my pc. headphones and speakers are equally important to me. i want to be able to just leave everything plugged in and switch from headphones to speakers without disconnecting cables (but if not, i can live with it).
i don't use cd's anymore, just stream from tidal or spotify. 

so can i get one of the above dac/amps for my needs? or do i need a separate amp for speakers? I

thanks for any advise guys.

I think a Teac AI-101DA is the kind of unit your looking for.

 

[Mr Rick]

I think a Teac AI-101DA is the kind of unit your looking for.

 
I recommended the AI-301DA to him in a PM.

 

[buke9]

I recommended the AI-301DA to him in a PM.:wink_face:

Well there you go. Great minds and the like; )

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan46 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

i'm confused with all of these dac/amp reviews as 99% of them concentrate on how they drive headphones and nothing about speakers. am i missing something?

 

 

Because when you say DAC-amp, it's a DAC-HPamp - or in this case, a DAC-HPamp-Preamp. Kind of like the NuForce HDP, which stands for Headphone amp, DAC, Preamp. These are not speaker amplifiers that "drive" the speakers in the more common set-ups, which is that they use the preamp output to send a signal whose output level they can control (because preamp) from the unit to a pair of powered/active speakers. These speakers have their amplifiers built into the cabinet/s: studio monitors like KRK, Genelec, and the pro speaker lines from Focal and Dynaucio, plus prosumer models like the ones from HiVi, Edifier, Aktimate, Audioengine, etc, all fall under this category of speaker architecture. Unless there is something wrong with the preamp, like coloring the sound or there is an imbalance, there really isn't much to say apart from "they work without problems" when users comment on sending the signal to the speakers.

 

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan46 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

do i need another amp to drive speakers? 

 

That depends on which speakers - if you go with the nearfield monitors I listed above, then no. Take note that if this is primarily a desktop set-up it's safer to go with a DAC-HPamp-Preamp unit that has a really good headphone amp plus a speaker with matched speakers built into them since 1) these are designed as nearfield speakers from the start (not that you cannot absolutely use other speakers in a nearfield application) and 2) there is less to worry about regarding amplification as active speakers are provided with 4channels of amplification (separate tweeter and midwoofer channels) and you can concentrate on getting a DAC-HPamp that can drive a wider variety of headphones with regard to impedance and power requirements.

 

As a bonus, since they'll be on a desk, they'll also be closer to a lot of other things that can scratch them, and studio monitors tend to have a finish that don't scratch as easily, as opposed to cheap vinyl or expensive but vulnerable wood finish on what normally are standmount speakers for non-nearfield applications.
 
 
 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan46 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

i've been looking at a few dac/amps with a budget of no more than £500 - marantz hd dac1, nad d 3020, fostex hp a4, fostex hp a3, teac ud 301.

 

The NAD is primarily a DAC+SPamp, with a decent headphone amp. Look up how much you'll end up spending though and what you'll be driving with any of these DAC-HP/SPamps. Depending on which products you get it might be cheaper for example to get a Schiit Jotunheim that can drive practically any headphone and then any decent studio monitor than spend that kind of money on a DAC-SPamp and it doesn't do as well on some headphones that you might get now or look into later.

 

 

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan46 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

i want to be able to just leave everything plugged in and switch from headphones to speakers without disconnecting cables (but if not, i can live with it).

 

AudioGD's have a selector switch for DAC direct line out, Preamp, and front Headphone amp output. For around $600+ you can get the ones with Class A headphone amps and​ balanced headphone and preamp output. Downside vs the Jotunheim though is that you'll need to deal with slower customer support due to distance and translators, whereas Schiit has their factory and office in SoCal.

 

 

 

 

[dudlew]

The OP did mention the NAD D3020. I believe that is an all in one unit....

 

[dan46]

thanks for all the replies guys. i think i'm going to end up going with the teac ai 310 da. although something with a little more power for the speakers would be better. 
i am pretty new to all this and still learning, but we'll see. 
will report back.

 

[dan46]

just remembered - i was looking at the marantz pm 7005 last week but don't know if its worth spending the extra money. it does have more power for speakers though. 

 

[Mr Rick]

  just remembered - i was looking at the marantz pm 7005 last week but don't know if its worth spending the extra money. it does have more power for speakers though. 

 
The PM 7005 has some nice features. I would never try to discourage anyone from buying a product from Marantz. There are several ways to accomplish what you want. The decision is up to you.

 

[dan46]

  I'm using a Schiit Jotunheim into a separate amplifier and then into ELAC B6s. The Jot has a capable USB only DAC.
For an amp, I'm not  sure what would be available to you, but all you really need is something akin to an Emotiva A-100, or A-300.
 
https://emotiva.com/products/emotiva/amplifiers-0
 
 
http://schiit.com/products/jotunheim
 
A possible "all in one" solution would be some sort of A/V receiver. Marantz has several, but that would probably be overkill for a two channel system.
 
 
A third option would be a DAC / AMP into powered monitor speakers. ( Amplifiers enclosed in the speaker cabinets )

 
still can't make my mind up. just wondering, is it possible to connect my sound blaster e5 to an amp via the optical out? this would save me selling my e5 and spending more than i need to if i can just hook it up to an amp.
i was looking at the emotiva amps you recommended but can't see an optical in on them. is there a different cable that i'd have to use?
thanks again

 

[ProtegeManiac]

the Quote:

still can't make my mind up. just wondering, is it possible to connect my sound blaster e5 to an amp via the optical out? this would save me selling my e5 and spending more than i need to if i can just hook it up to an amp.

 

Optical Is digital transmission. It goes from source to a digital input on a receiver or integrated amp, or a DAC+HPamp, then runs it through a Digital to Analogue Converter before passing it on to the analogue section of the circuit. Those Emotivas are pure analogue amplifiers with no digital input sections.

 

In the set up he mentioned, digital audio goes from your computer to the Jotunheim's add-on USB DAC, then after conversion, passes it on to the Jotunheim. From there it either goes to the analogue amplifier output stage to be amplified to drive a headphone through the front socket, or​ go out the rear to a pure analogue power amplifier like those Emotivas.

 

If you want to use the E5, you have to hook up its 3.5mm analogue line out to the input on an integrated amplifier that will drive passive speakers.

 

 

[dan46]

Optical Is digital transmission. It goes from source to a digital input on a receiver or integrated amp, or a DAC+HPamp, then runs it through a Digital to Analogue Converter before passing it on to the analogue section of the circuit. Those Emotivas are pure analogue amplifiers with no digital input sections.

In the set up he mentioned, digital audio goes from your computer to the Jotunheim's add-on USB DAC, then after conversion, passes it on to the Jotunheim. From there it either goes to the analogue amplifier output stage to be amplified to drive a headphone through the front socket, or​ go out the rear to a pure analogue power amplifier like those Emotivas.

If you want to use the E5, you have to hook up its 3.5mm analogue line out to the input on an integrated amplifier that will drive passive speakers.

so would I just need a 3.5mm jack to phono cable going from line out on the e5 straight to an amp to power the speakers?