NFB-12 used for just an AMP, connected to sound card. Im slow :/

[Anax]

   Sorry but I am pretty much new to the world of headphones.  Recently I purchased DT990's and HE-400's.  I looked around at basic amps to get me buy before deciding what direction I wanted to go and I noticed the overly bloated price these days of premade O2's (My older older one crapped out on me after a dog grabbing hot dog from desk spilling mtn dew accident) . I decided to pick up a NFB-12 in the FS/FT.. 
 
   However through my lack of knowledge and pure stupidity I seem to have boggled my mind so badly over something simple I am afraid I will have an aneurysm. 
 
 
    Sound card is an HT Omega Claro Plus  (back panel)        well considering I was just going to use the normal speaker out TSR or whatever plug and not the optical out nor coax, I never thought anything of it.   However the back of the nfb-12  has the following,  "Dac out's" 2 of them, assume I have no use for these.    USB (using my sound card so no use to me)   and the optical and coax.    My question is, I will not be using the NFB-12's DAC so I still just plug in the optical , keep the switch on HP, and it wont use the DAC to alter sound?   Sorry my mind says digital to analog converter so I am not sure how this is works since it would have to do this anyway to transcode or what the optical signal.  I know this is probably a basic question for some of you but it has me confused because I have goldfish brains.   
 

 

[HeatFan12]

You will use the NFB-12's dac regardless.  The DAC out is to connect to another amp.  The only way to bypass the dac and use it as an amp only, it must have line-in like the FUN or NFB-16.  
You can use the 12 as an all in one or connect an amp to it. Connect it to your card via optical and u r ready to roll.

 

[wje]

Quote:

You will use the NFB-12's dac regardless.  The DAC out is to connect to another amp.  The only way to bypass the dac and use it as an amp only, it must have line-in like the FUN or NFB-16.  
You can use the 12 as an all in one or connect an amp to it. Connect it to your card via optical and u r ready to roll.

 
100% correct.  Also, I don't understand why not go ahead and run an optical cable from the sound card to the NFB-12's optical input?  It will be the cleanest signal you can send (along with digital coax).  Plus, the DAC on the NFB-12 is constructed of Wolfson DAC chips for the module.  I'm not familiar with the DAC on that particular sound card, but I'd be willing to bet that the on-bard DAC with the NFB-12 will probably be able to easily compete with it, if not best it.

 

[Anax]

   Well my issue is I play a lot of games, and would like to use the amp yet retain dolby headphone surround which from my understanding is not possible.  I face a large issue right now since  for an amp I have only around 150 to spend, have no need for a portable, and the objective2 seems to be the best in this price range, but I feel odd dumping the 127.00 (only guy on ebay i see selling them) when the desktop version is coming out soon with better components.
 
   If anyone has any choices for me im all ears, GET IT ALL EARS? I MADE MY FIRST HEAD FI JOKE.  anyway, yeah, I just need an amp at the moment. I will get a better amp + dac or  amp/dac  later down the road.   The guy i purchased from was nice enough to refund my money so I am looking once again,  (in a couple months I will be buying a dedicated tube amp for my HE's  .  As for now I will just be using my DT990's (just the 250ohm pro) to game. 

 

[wje]

Quote:

   Well my issue is I play a lot of games, and would like to use the amp yet retain dolby headphone surround which from my understanding is not possible.  I face a large issue right now since  for an amp I have only around 150 to spend, have no need for a portable, and the objective2 seems to be the best in this price range, but I feel odd dumping the 127.00 (only guy on ebay i see selling them) when the desktop version is coming out soon with better components.
 
   If anyone has any choices for me im all ears, GET IT ALL EARS? I MADE MY FIRST HEAD FI JOKE.  anyway, yeah, I just need an amp at the moment. I will get a better amp + dac or  amp/dac  later down the road.   The guy i purchased from was nice enough to refund my money so I am looking once again,  (in a couple months I will be buying a dedicated tube amp for my HE's  .  As for now I will just be using my DT990's (just the 250ohm pro) to game. 

 
Is that the guy that claims he is an electrical engineering student and can customize the O2 to your preference?  If so, I'd personally avoid dealing with him.  The O2 amp that I purchased from him was nicely constructed.  However, the O2 amps that he builds do no work with the 9V batteries installed.  I had the issue with the O2 I purchased, and since I never used it with battery power, the issue came back to haunt me a few weeks after I had completed the sale of the amp to another member here.  Also, I've read of another member buying from the same guy on eBay and having the same issue - would not work with the batteries (9V) installed and fully charged.
 
Personally, if you're considering strictly the O2 amp, spend just a couple of dollars more and buy it from JDS Labs.  You will not be sorry.  Top notch qualty and top notch service.

 

[Anax]

Thanks sir you saved my bum.  ordered from jds

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks sir you saved my bum.  ordered from jds

Asus Xonar ST, STX, Xense cards, use the same C-Media audio processor (CMI8788) as HT Omega Claro Plus, and these Xonars can do Dolby Headphone surround sound thru the S/PDIF (optical & coaxial) output.
Get the latest drivers for your audio card and test the feature.
 
HT Omega drivers
http://www.htomega.com/downloads.html
 
C-Media audio drivers.
http://www.cmedia.com.tw/EN/DownloadCenter_Detail2.aspx?pserno=0&dtype=ALL

 

[Anax]

Yeah the Claro can also, but from what I know the DAC would kill this process anyway . Ended up ordering a o2. few extra bucks than I wanted to spend but figure i can sell it for 100 or so then put that towards the desktop model