[jtr3030]

I know this is a newbie issue, but I tried a lot of searching.

I plan on getting the Etymotic ER4S earphones (for their isolation), the HT Omega Claro Plus+ sound card, and the Minibox+E headphone amp. Can I plug the headphone amp into the (front panel) sound card output or do I need a DAC or speakers or something else to connect it to? Also, the Claro Plus has a built in headphone amp (not nearly as good as the Minibox+E). Will there be any problems with connecting both of the amps?

I read that the Claro Plus has DAC built in.

 

[nick_charles]

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Originally Posted by jtr3030 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know this is a newbie issue, but I tried a lot of searching. I plan on getting the Etymotic ER4S earphones (for their isolation), the HT Omega Claro Plus+ sound card, and the Minibox+E headphone amp. Can I plug the headphone amp into the (front panel) sound card output

Yes, use the analog output typically a mini-jack marked as headphones or speakers does not matter which.

Having said that the Front Speaker Out (rear) theoretically might be better as it uses a AD8620 which is a pretty fair opamp.

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Also, the Claro Plus has a built in headphone amp (not nearly as good as the Minibox+E).

The headphone stage may be cheaper but a big soundcard manufacturer will have tremendous economies of scale so they can source parts much cheaper than a small specialised headphone amp manufacturer who may have relatively high overheads. I would judge its quality on what it sounds like not its cost...Your soundcard, on its front speaker output (rear) uses a pretty decent AD opamp (8620) used in many DIY headphone amps. I have owned several 8620 based amps (Pimeta and so on) and none have been bad sounding so I would not write it off

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Will there be any problems with connecting both of the amps?

None at all



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I read that the Claro Plus has DAC built in.

It is a sound card, it must have a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) or it could not output an analog music signal. Music stored on your computer is in digital format, to get listenable sound it must either be converted to analog by the sound card or passed in digital form to an external DAC to be converted.

 

[jtr3030]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick_charles /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your soundcard, on its front speaker output (rear) uses a pretty decent AD opamp (8620) used in many DIY headphone amps. I have owned several 8620 based amps (Pimeta and so on) and none have been bad sounding so I would not write it off

OK, I've read claims on this forum that the Minibox+E was perhaps the best amp under $500, so I just figured it was better. I will try the headphone amp on the sound card temporarily, but I have speakers to plug in also. HT should have made the amp power the front panel headphone connection.


Quote:

Originally Posted by nick_charles /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is a sound card, it must have a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) or it could not output an analog music signal. Music stored on your computer is in digital format, to get listenable sound it must either be converted to analog by the sound card or passed in digital form to an external DAC to be converted.

It's strange how difficult it is to find the most basic information.

Thanks a heap. I think I'm ready to pull the trigger.