[lc483]

Hi guys, I've been researching but I still seem to have a lot of very basic questions when it comes to anything unrelated to IEMs.

Basically I have a desktop PC with just onboard sound.  I am interested in something that I can connect both headphones and some decent desktop speakers to.  I figure I need a dac + amp, maybe something like a uDAC or FiiO E7? Open to all suggestions by the way, probably will be pairing SRH440 mostly.

With a uDAC, I would simply plug in headphones through the headphone output jack in the front, and speakers through L/R RCA output in the back? Would these speakers need to be powered or unpowered? (Sorry, I know it's a stupid question, just a bit confused).  

With a FiiO E7, I would plug in headphones through one of the output jacks on top, and connect desktop speakers through the other? Or is that even possible? Maybe I'd have to wait for the E9 to use speakers?

Also, how could I turn off the desktop speakers when I choose to just use headphones, would my only options be an on/off power button on the speakers or physically unplugging them from these dac/amps?

Sorry again for the stupid questions, and thank you in advance for any help!  

 

[Lord.Warlock]

Both the uDac and the FiiO E7 are unable to power speakers, so you will need powered speakers. But both are amplifieres from headphone's, so the output is amplified. It's not such a good idea to connect a set of powered speakers to either of them. Not that you'll break anything but there's no benefit.
 
You can just split the signal from the sound card, one to a set of powered speakers, and one to either the uDAC or the FiiO E7. When you want to switch just power of the speakers...

 

[blackzarg]

What powered speakers do you have? If they are powered monitors (ie., M-Audio AV40, Audioengine A2 or A5, etc), you can just an RCA cable to connect the uDAC and the speakers.
 
That isn't an option with the Fiio.

 

[Jack C]

The upcoming FiiO E9 desktop amp is going to have about 1.5Wx2 of power, enough to drive a pair of small speakers, and the E7 can sit on top providing DAC functions. Your other option is to get powered speakers and have it connected to the "other" headphone jack on the E7 as you've described. You would have to turn the speakers off for headphone-only operation.
 
Jack

 

[lc483]

Thanks for the responses so far guys!

I don't have any speakers at the moment, but I have an idea of what to look for now. 

So with the E7, I would want powered speakers, but with the E9 I could use small unpowered speakers? Although the same powered speakers from the E7 I assume would work no problem as well with the E9?

And quick question Lord.Warlock, I only have onboard sound, no sound card, so if I had the uDAC for instance, would it not be better to plug powered speakers into them rather than my motherboard?

Are there perhaps better options in the same price range for what I'm trying to accomplish? I suppose I don't need the extreme portability of an E7 or uDAC either.

Thanks again guys

 

[Lord.Warlock]

Quote:

And quick question Lord.Warlock, I only have onboard sound, no sound card, so if I had the uDAC for instance, would it not be better to plug powered speakers into them rather than my motherboard?

Are there perhaps better options in the same price range for what I'm trying to accomplish? I suppose I don't need the extreme portability of an E7 or uDAC either.

Thanks again guys

The onboard sound card you have probebly has a 3.5 mm jack line out. If you connect it to the uDAC, the uDAC will amplify the signal and send it to a set of powered speakers which will also amplify the signal. If this is beter than just connecting the powered speakers to the onboard sound card I don't know, why not try both to find out..

 

[lc483]

Hmm, thank you for the response.  I don't yet have a uDAC or adequate speakers to test yet, but I suppose the quality of my motherboard may have a slight effect on the outcome.  But, according to Audiofil in this thread, it should be better to connect the speakers to the uDAC rather than directly to the motherboard anyway.

At the moment the uDAC seems like a good choice, but it would get quite annoying having to plug and unplug headphones whenever I want to use the speakers that are connected through RCA, and on top of that it would be annoying to unplug the speakers from the uDAC whenever I want to take the uDAC portable with my laptop.  If I had the upcoming FiiO E9 for instance, then the E9 would just stay stationary on my desk with the speakers plugged in, and I could take the E7 out for portable use with my laptop. 

*just thinking out loud*

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

The onboard sound card you have probebly has a 3.5 mm jack line out. If you connect it to the uDAC, the uDAC will amplify the signal and send it to a set of powered speakers which will also amplify the signal. If this is beter than just connecting the powered speakers to the onboard sound card I don't know, why not try both to find out..

Bump, because the uDac only accepts a USB input, and a 3.5 mm audio cable will not work. It's not just the cable it's the fact that the uDac does not have an audio input, you need a digital signal.