[reikoshea]

So, my Schiit Modi died during a lightning storm this week, and I figured now's as good a time as any to upgrade the DAC.

My Magni still works, so I'm good for a headphone amp, but I would like a DAC that has dual switchable outs (for my powered monitors) so I can stop fiddling in my windows settings any time I want to switch output.

Anyone I should take a look at? Or am I better off getting a decent quality A/B switch to put between a new Modi and my Magni?

Edit: Bleh, sorry I posted in the wrong section. I didn't see the big red warning text until I was waiting for the thread to post.

 

[Drewminus]

Does your Magni not have pre-amp outputs?

 

[reikoshea]

Does your Magni not have pre-amp outputs?

Nope. Just a high/low gain switch, and RCA in. Just looking for a switch rather than running Y connectors and turning down the volume on the speakers whenever I'm done with them.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

My Magni still works, so I'm good for a headphone amp, but I would like a DAC that has dual switchable outs (for my powered monitors) so I can stop fiddling in my windows settings any time I want to switch output.

The preamp outputs are usually on the headphone amp since that already has a potentiometer to control the output. AFAIK the only DAC with preamp but no headphone amps I've seen are Meier DACs, but the DACcord will set you back enough money you might as well just get a new Magni3, or an AudioGD NFB-11.

There's the Schiit Sys though. It's a passive preamp so you can wire it backwards. Put the DAC input into the RCA pair labeled output, then put the Magni and the monitors on the RCA inputs, and the passive volume control will work. Problem with that is you need to set it at full volume to work properly (ie it isn't cutting the signal strength) with the headphone amp, so alternating between the speakers and headphones means you still need to switch off the speakers or mess around with their volume or gain control. Only thing you get out of the Sys is a handy volume control while using the speakers. You might as well get a Magni3.