USB DAC/Amp with mic input jack?
Nov 9, 2016 at 1:33 PM Post #16 of 28
The mic voltage has nothing to do with the sound quality output of the unit itself or driving headphones or anything related. I am not concerned with that. In fact I am sure it is fine for my headphones sound quality and sound output wise. What I am concerned with is that most creative devices I have tried under volt the microphone so you don't get a good microphone sound. Headset microphones require power between 2 and 5 volts that the microphone output provides. All creative sound cards I have tried sound horrible when using the mic because they only put out the bare minimum 2 volts to the microphone. As the main purpose of this will be that I am going to be using it for chatting with co workers on Skype I have to have a device with a good microphone input.
 
Nov 9, 2016 at 1:41 PM Post #17 of 28
music alchemist said:
   
I repeat: It is not a sound card. The DSP is only done by the software, which is entirely optional. If you don't download, install, and use that software, there is no DSP. The DAC/amp has no DSP and supports bit-perfect output just like any other good DAC/amp. It has plenty of power too. And like I said, the pricier ones have even more power.
 
See the difference:
http://us.creative.com/p/amplifiers
http://us.creative.com/p/sound-cards
Click to expand...

 
If that's how it works then yeah, it works as a DAC-HPamp.
 
Nov 9, 2016 at 1:50 PM Post #18 of 28
killeraxemannic said:
  The mic voltage has nothing to do with the sound quality output of the unit itself or driving headphones or anything related. I am not concerned with that. In fact I am sure it is fine for my headphones sound quality and sound output wise. What I am concerned with is that most creative devices I have tried under volt the microphone so you don't get a good microphone sound. Headset microphones require power between 2 and 5 volts that the microphone output provides. All creative sound cards I have tried sound horrible when using the mic because they only put out the bare minimum 2 volts to the microphone. As the main purpose of this will be that I am going to be using it for chatting with co workers on Skype I have to have a device with a good microphone input.
Click to expand...

 
Hmm. So I guess even if I tested a cheap microphone I have with the E1 (as well as the microphone input of my laptop), that wouldn't tell you anything, since headset microphones apparently require more power. But then again, I thought that since the microphone input and left headphone output use the same jack, they would have the same available power for both.
 
Nov 9, 2016 at 2:02 PM Post #19 of 28
music alchemist said:
   
Hmm. So I guess even if I tested a cheap microphone I have with the E1 (as well as the microphone input of my laptop), that wouldn't tell you anything, since headset microphones apparently require more power. But then again, I thought that since the microphone input and left headphone output use the same jack, they would have the same available power for both.
Click to expand...

 
Well putting constant voltage to headphones is not something that you would want to do so I would assume they have a way to turn off the constant voltage when you plug in headphones. Most likely a switching circuit of some kind that detects if a mic or a headphone is plugged in based on the impedance.
 
Nov 9, 2016 at 2:05 PM Post #20 of 28
killeraxemannic said:
  Well putting constant voltage to headphones is not something that you would want to do so I would assume they have a way to turn off the constant voltage when you plug in headphones. Most likely a switching circuit of some kind that detects if a mic or a headphone is plugged in based on the impedance.
Click to expand...

 
Isn't the volume of the microphone controlled by the volume you set on the amp? (And computer, software, etc.)
 
Both of the headphone outputs function in the same way: you just control the volume with the slider.
 
My research indicates that microphones do not have impedance any lower than headphones, and often much higher.
 
Generally, microphones can be divided into low (50-1,000 ohms), medium (5,000-15,000 ohms) and high (20,000+ ohms) impedance.
Click to expand...

 
But I think I just figured it out. Looks like you need to configure that jack as either headphone or microphone with that software, and the E1 has to be connected via USB.
 
Nov 9, 2016 at 2:29 PM Post #21 of 28
music alchemist said:
   
Isn't the volume of the microphone controlled by the volume you set on the amp? (And computer, software, etc.)
 
Both of the headphone outputs function in the same way: you just control the volume with the slider.
Click to expand...

 
Correct. So in the way of a microphone or at least a condenser microphone... All headset mics are mineature condenser mics btw.... The more constant voltage you put to it the more sensitive it is... So the more it picks up. When you adjust the microphone volume slider you are boosting input gain which is what causes the white noise you hear in the background of some people's mics. So the ideal scenario for the best microphone sound is to have the highest constant power voltage put out to the microphone so it is as sensitive as possible so you don't have to boost the input gain to get good mic levels. Creative for whatever reason is horrible for this (at least the creative cards I have tried) and only puts out 2V to the microphone so you have to max the input gain to get proper mic volumes.
 
Nov 12, 2016 at 6:03 PM Post #22 of 28
If you laptop has a digital out inside the 3.5mm headphones output (macs do) you would only need a cable minitoslink to toslink, and a dac that accepts toslink input
 
Nov 4, 2017 at 12:14 PM Post #26 of 28
Nov 4, 2017 at 8:00 PM Post #28 of 28
selvakumar said:
I own it and it sounds EPIC get it now
Click to expand...
How would you compare it to the Mayflower Arc and more expensive DACs like the Gustard X20?
 
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