[Venasa]

Does anyone know of a decent amp that has an optical input? I want to run digital from my PS2 (that and I like versatility im general) into my headphones. I have 32ohm headphones and the amp doesn't have to be portable, its just I thought that would keep the price down.

 

[Venasa]

Really doesn't exist huh?

 

[pekingduck]

Some portable DAC/amp with optical in:
 
iBasso D12, D10
Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII
Audinst HUD MX2 (not really portable but cheap..)

 

[Venasa]

Thank You!

 

[Bill-P]

Fiio D3 + some cheap amp should do the job a lot cheaper than any other option.

And alternatively, a Fiio E17 also does the job (it takes mini optical input, and you can easily find mini optical adapters for your full-size plugs for pretty cheap) quite well at a slightly higher price point. But it has an EQ setting that deals with bass and treble.

 

[GaijinMo]

Quote:

Fiio D3 + some cheap amp should do the job a lot cheaper than any other option.

And alternatively, a Fiio E17 also does the job (it takes mini optical input, and you can easily find mini optical adapters for your full-size plugs for pretty cheap) quite well at a slightly higher price point. But it has an EQ setting that deals with bass and treble.

I think the E17 comes with a mini optical adapter.
 
Regarding your first statement, I don't know a lot about DACs and amps but I am wondering why so few people go with that combo. Fiio D03K combined with one of their less expensive amps (such as E11?) would be less than $100 in total. Despite that, I've never seen a single person mention doing this. Is there some compatibility issue?
 
Astro Mixamp and Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS2 also have optical input (and some EQ settings) but the latter does not get discussed on Head-Fi ever, so maybe there are concerns with its quality.

 

[Bill-P]

That's because as a DAC, the Fiio D3 isn't really anything to write home about. It can get better with some modifications, but the stock version is truly just a basic optical->RCA converter. Plus it needs an active micro USB connection as well to draw power since it has no battery or anything like that.
 
So yeah, you're right. Concerns about quality drown those gears into oblivion here even though they may or may not be that bad.
 
Edit:
More info on D3:
 
The original Fiio D3 had a Wolfson DAC chip, and it definitely sounds way above its price segment. But then it was discontinued in favor of a different version (D03K) that used a Cirrus Logic DAC chip instead. I haven't heard that one, so I have no idea how it sounds like personally. But impressions say it doesn't measure up to the original. More confusing is that the original D3 (that uses the Wolfson DAC) has 2 different versions that have slightly different components. I also have no idea how they may differ. But I have the original (silver-colored plugs) D3, and It's truly an awesome DAC.
 
Perhaps it's the confusion over the various versions that ultimately drowned the DAC in a sea of other DACs. But personally, the Fiio D3 is my favorite midrange-centric DAC. To date, I haven't heard anything else that renders midrange quite like it does.
 
It still needs to be coupled with an amp, and I had to custom-order a RCA interconnect cable that's made specifically for it, but once those things are over with, I think it is truly a good value.