[Moose246]

Picked up the device noted above out of curiosity, and am wondering if the unit can be used as an amp only? For example, I have a pono player that I enjoy, but am also a user of EQ, which the pono doesn't have but this amp does. I thought that maybe I could use the Pono as the source via it's line-out and run it through the Monolith as an amp and have the ability to use the Monolith's EQ. I don't know if that's possible, meaning that the Monolith takes whatever source is connected and uses it's internal DAC for the conversion - rendering the specific source (and it's DAC) irrelevant (could be the Pono, phone, pc....whatever).

 

[pbui44]

If you are talking about this one:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24460

then you can use the analog line input, but it is unbalanced only.

 

[Moose246]

If you are talking about this one:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24460

then you can use the analog line input, but it is unbalanced only.

Thanks for the response. Yep, that's the exact one. So if I plug a DAC (Pono, for example) into the line input it will bypass the Monolith DAC and only use the amp function automatically? Unbalanced is perfectly fine.

 

[pbui44]

Thanks for the response. Yep, that's the exact one. So if I plug a DAC (Pono, for example) into the line input it will bypass the Monolith DAC and only use the amp function automatically? Unbalanced is perfectly fine.

From this review:

https://headfonics.com/monoprice-monolith-thx-portable-headphone-amplifier-dac-review/

"I want a great EQ response, which means moving the dial-up just a bit and hearing a difference. Feeling a difference. Overall, the end result being audibly different in a positive way. This product offers that both off of DAC usage and with a portable music player attached, or through the DAC + PC usage. Options are lovely."

Apparently, the EQ will work with an attached portable music player, but will use its ADC converter, then use the EQ you adjusted through its internal DAC, and finally sent to the drivers. This will probably use more battery life, but it is the only, according to the reviewer.