[Brokenfist64]

Hello all,
 
Just had a quick question. I've been reading through a bunch of posts on here for a week now and I'm starting to get very confused. I recently purchased some Swan D1080MkII 08s and they should be arriving next Tuesday, I'm using my computer as source with craptacular onboard sound and wanted to get a tube amp/dac combo.
 
I just wanted to know if I could pair up my speakers with say MP-301 MK2 tube amp or any other tube amp. I was getting confused because I asked a few places that sell tube amps and they told me I wouldn't be able to connect them to my speakers as it would blow the circuit, but reading through head-fi and other forums I see other people connecting their powered speakers to amps without problems.
 
Sorry for newb questions, thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Rizlaw]

Quote:

Hello all,
 
Just had a quick question. I've been reading through a bunch of posts on here for a week now and I'm starting to get very confused. I recently purchased some Swan D1080MkII 08s and they should be arriving next Tuesday, I'm using my computer as source with craptacular onboard sound and wanted to get a tube amp/dac combo.
 
I just wanted to know if I could pair up my speakers with say MP-301 MK2 tube amp or any other tube amp. I was getting confused because I asked a few places that sell tube amps and they told me I wouldn't be able to connect them to my speakers as it would blow the circuit, but reading through head-fi and other forums I see other people connecting their powered speakers to amps without problems.
 
Sorry for newb questions, thanks in advance for the help!

The short answer is no. The more interesting question is why would you want to connect an additional speaker amp to your internally powered speakers?
 
From Swan's literature:
 
Quote:

Like the Swan M200 series, the D1080MkII08 is a stereo 2.0 system with one active speaker containing both channels of stereo amplification and a slave speaker connected by a length of cable. Stereo line-level inputs connect the master speaker to any signal source from portable digital music source to gaming system to PC to CD or DVD player.

 
Note that nothing in the above description mentions connection to another powered speaker amp. From reading the specs of the MP-301 MKII tube amp, it has 2 RCA inputs and no RCA outputs.  Consequently, it does not have the necessary RCA stereo line-level output jacks required to connect to the Swan's RCA stereo line level input jacks. Hence, your speaker amp of choice can only connect to unpowered speakers via speaker wires/binding posts. Your amp would work fine with something like Audioengine P4 speakers.
 
 
According to Skylab's review here http://www.head-fi.org/products/mp-301-mk2/reviews :
 
Quote:

Again, the MP-301 Mk2 isn't designed primarily to be a headphone amp - it's more designed as a speaker amp with the convenience of headphone use. . . .

 
If your budget permits, IMO you would be better off considering something like a Woo WA3 ($495.00) http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa3.html which has RCA in/out jacks for connections from your computer (RCA input jacks), to your powered speakers (via RCA output jacks) and headphones (front panel stereo headphone jack). The only downside to the WA3 is that it doesn't have a "speaker/headphone" switch. But, I'm guessing Jack Woo could add one if your were willing to pay a little extra for the modification.
 
 

 

[Brokenfist64]

Thanks so much for the reply!
 
I was reading on a few other forums that some people hook up seperate amp/dac combos to their powered speakers because they said the internal amp in the speakers is underpowered. Being a noob to audio I wasn't sure if they were just spouting off some bad info or giving good info.
 
And being honest wanted to know what a tube amp sounds like =) Plus I think they look kinda cool too.
 
Thank you for the recommendation on the Woo WA3 I'll take a look into that.

 

[Brokenfist64]

Just wanted to ask one more question to make things clear for myself.
 
I know you said computer => RCA in DAC/AMP => RCA out
 
Would it also be possible for computer => usb or optical => DAC/AMP => RCA out? Just as long there is an RCA out then I should be able to utilize any Amp/DAC with my speakers.
 
thank you kindly.
 

 

[Rizlaw]

Quote:

Just wanted to ask one more question to make things clear for myself.
 
I know you said computer => RCA in DAC/AMP => RCA out
 
Would it also be possible for computer => usb or optical => DAC/AMP => RCA out? Just as long there is an RCA out then I should be able to utilize any Amp/DAC with my speakers.
 
thank you kindly.
 

If you are referring to my suggestion that you consider a Woo WA3 headphone amp, then first understand that the WA3 is not a "DAC/AMP", it is strictly an analog headphone "AMP" and can only accept analog sound inputs. Therefore, the answer to your additional question about USB and optical (toslink) outputs, in the context of your initial post, the answer is NO. But if you add an external USB DAC between the computer and the WA3, the answer is YES.
 
In your case, you mentioned that you were using "craptacular onboard sound" for a "sound card". Therefore, your computer should have: analog front/rear channel mini output jacks; a female RCA coax jack or fibre optic TOSLINK jack or both, on the back.
 
Utilizing your "craptacular onboard sound" as your current DAC, the WA3 as your analog external AMP and your Swan powered speakers, the connections would require 2 cables:
 
(a) Cable 1: Computer analog front ch. output > WA3 RCA input jacks
 
Good inexpensive cable 1:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=5598&seq=1&format=2
 
(b) Cable 2: WA3 RCA preamp output jacks > RCA input jacks of Swan powered speakers
 
Good inexpensive cable 2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2
 
If you are considering the purchase of a combo "AMP/USB-DAC" or a separate external USB-DAC and headphone AMP,  then YES you can go USB out from your computer to an external DAC, if the DAC has USB input capability.  But, this is not what you originally inquired about. The order, in such a case, would be:
 
Computer USB digital output cable > external USB DAC digital USB input jack > USB DAC analog RCA output > Swan powered speakers RCA analog input.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Brokenfist64]

I greatly appreciate your responses Rizlaw thank you very much!