Photos of L7 ( E7's line out kit ), L9 ( for iPod/iPHone's L type LOD), ETA- March!
Mar 14, 2011 at 4:17 AM Post #19 of 50
I'm thinking of using my E7 as a permanent, desktop DAC for another amp.  If I leave it hooked up via the L7, will it charge up when the computer is on, or will I need to pull the L7 out of the line on occasion to charge up the E7?
 
I'm gettin' me one of them L9s as soon as I see it here in Taiwan!
 
Mar 24, 2011 at 2:21 AM Post #22 of 50
Faiao, it looks like I've definitely come to the right place. I was about to buy the E7 and then wondered how I'd connect it to my active computer speakers.
 
First, I'm assuming it's possible (if not preferred) to use the headphone output. Can you (or anyone) comment on this? I guess this thread would not exist if the results were very good, but are they at least acceptable? Is there no way to temporarily make the output level "fixed"? If not, do you just turn the volume all or most of the way down? One advantage of using the headphone jack, I'd think, would be that you could use the bass boost functions with your speakers. In my case, that would actually be useful, as I have no tone controls on my speakers (and my computer soundcard eq would presumably be useless). Am I right in thinking that a "true" line-out would be independent of the tone controls as well as the volume?
 
Regardless, I'd still like the OPTION of a true line-out. I see a photo of an L7 dock ("currently unavailable") on Amazon. Is that the one you were working on and then scrapped, or the one you are about to release? In any case, when and where in the world can I find the new L7 dock?? Thanks.
 
Mar 24, 2011 at 3:54 PM Post #23 of 50
I just ordered the Schiit Lyr and don't have a DAC to pair with it YET. I NEED to know when the L7 is out so I can use the E7 temporarily until I get something a bit higher end. James, please give us the ETA of the L7!
 
Mar 24, 2011 at 8:17 PM Post #25 of 50
The E9's Pre-out is volume controlled from the E9, so that means it's using the E9's amp. The RCA line out isn't volume controlled, but I thought that was made for speakers with its own volume control (like my Logitech 2.1 setup)?

If the E7/E9 - RCA line out - Lyr works exactly the same as the E7 - L7 - Lyr, that would be great. Can anyone verify that this method wouldn't use the E9 whatsoever? I'm confused with pre-amps in general. I know that line out = bypassing internal amps, but I wanna make sure there's nothing going on between the E7 straight to the Lyr while the E7 is docked to the E9. I didn't know that this method existed, and would make the L7 moot if we already own the E9.

So in theory (or fact), one COULD just run any other DAC to the E9's line in, and run any other amp from the E9's line out, and be able to choose between connecting your headphones to the E9 or the other amp, right? This is great. I learn every day.
 
Mar 24, 2011 at 9:30 PM Post #26 of 50
Maybe try unplugging the E9's power cord and see if the pre-out / line-out still works. Some pre-outs are passive, meaning it just takes the line-in and runs it through the volume pot.
 
 
Mar 29, 2011 at 9:08 PM Post #30 of 50
While we're waiting for the L7 to actually be available, I was wondering if anyone could answer the question I asked above re: using the headphone output as a "line-out" for powered speakers.

I understand the theoretical issue (that it's not as pure as it could be and that the level is not fixed), but what are the practical issues, if any? I.e., can't you just set the volume so that the level is approximately the same as line level, or is even the minimum volume too high? And is the SQ noticeably inferior to how it would/should be from a real line-out?

I'm asking for two reasons: (1) I'd like to be able to buy, test, and decide whether I want the E7 without first investing in adaptors, and (2) I think I'd actually find the bass-boost functions useful for my Boston Acoustics PC speakers, since they are powered but have no tone controls. I guess they were designed to be used with a traditional soundcard. (I currently adjust tone via the EQ of my Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard, which I'd be more than satisfied with if it weren't spitting out annoying digital noise.)

Thanks in advance.
 

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