[hifidk]

I don't know if other models from styleaudio are all the same or if this matters to you... but I cannot control the volume from my Carat-Peridot if I use the RCA out to my active speakers. Also, I cannot use the volume control from windows or mac because the carat-peridot will automatically set the volume of PC/Mac to max. So in order to control the volume, I have to use the control knob on my audioengine A2 speakers but it is on the back of the speakers, which is not so practical. I thought you might want to know this if you were considering the styleaudio amp/dac products.

Note: I haven't tried alot of sounds cards but peridot was certainly better than various sound blasters that I had so far.

 

[selkin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mail4u /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good question and I don't know the answer. However, it has an extremely high output but no volume control. It needs to be controlled from the computer. There must be some sort of simple gain boost in it. It's sound quality is actually quite good and listenable but not the equal of my X-can IMO. Blue Circle website gives no technical details but just mentions it has a headphone output.

And where does the Blue Circle gets the power from? over the usb connect?

 

[selkin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifidk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know if other models from styleaudio are all the same or if this matters to you... but I cannot control the volume from my Carat-Peridot if I use the RCA out to my active speakers. Also, I cannot use the volume control from windows or mac because the carat-peridot will automatically set the volume of PC/Mac to max. So in order to control the volume, I have to use the control knob on my audioengine A2 speakers but it is on the back of the speakers, which is not so practical. I thought you might want to know this if you were considering the styleaudio amp/dac products. Note: I haven't tried alot of sounds cards but peridot was certainly better than various sound blasters that I had so far.

thx for pointing that out. I wont buy DAC which volume control's is fixed and/or not adjustable at all...
I have speakers with volume knob on their rear too, and they're not even close rach to me so this is a big no-no..

thx again

I wonder if the D10 or other DAC's volume is adjustable in windows at all...

 

[hifidk]

I don't know if the D10 volume knob will work but seems like they don't have RCA output.
So, I guess you will have to use the mini to mini cable.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

The D10 volume knob controls the headphone out but not the line out which is a fixed volume and not software controlled either.

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The D10 volume knob controls the headphone out but not the line out which is a fixed volume and not software controlled either.

I see. I guess D10 will not help OP at all then.

 

[mail4u]

Quote:

Originally Posted by selkin /img/forum/go_quote.gif And where does the Blue Circle gets the power from? over the usb connect?

Yes, from the USB connection. In fact Blue Circle has a version of the DAC that has a higher gain output for those that want to connect directly to a power amplifier.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifidk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see. I guess D10 will not help OP at all then.

Well, actually, in my review of the D10 I found that with the stock opamps it sounded very good using the headphone out as a pre-amp out to drive an amplifier - sometimes better than line out. (it almost seems like line out had it's own burn-in because line out has improved over time).

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, actually, in my review of the D10 I found that with the stock opamps it sounded very good using the headphone out as a pre-amp out to drive an amplifier - sometimes better than line out. (it almost seems like line out had it's own burn-in because line out has improved over time).

So, source --> D10 headphone amp --> Speaker amp. Even if there are two separate amps working together, there is going to be no downgrade in sound? I am just curious how you would set the volume on each components (for example, max volume on source and active speaker and control the volume using D10 volume knob?). Hope this make sense

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifidk /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, source --> D10 headphone amp --> Speaker amp. Even if there are two separate amps working together, there is going to be no downgrade in sound? I am just curious how you would set the volume on each components (for example, max volume on source and active speaker and control the volume using D10 volume knob?). Hope this make sense

Yeah, it would be used like you describe. The source would be the D10 internal DAC via optical, coax or USB input, and you'd control the volume with the D10 volume knob with active speakers connected to the headphone out.

It seems to do the job as well as the Pico DAC/amp which I have been using as a DAC/Preamp for over a year to feed a Woo GES amp in my electrostatic headphone rig, meaning no downgrade in sound.

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, it would be used like you describe. The source would be the D10 internal DAC via optical, coax or USB input, and you'd control the volume with the D10 volume knob with active speakers connected to the headphone out. It seems to do the job as well as the Pico DAC/amp which I have been using as a DAC/Preamp for over a year to feed a Woo GES amp in my electrostatic headphone rig, meaning no downgrade in sound.

Thanks for clearing up! I have last quick question and hope OP doesn't mind

Would you recommend to use D2 Boa headphone out as a preamp (volume control) for my PC? So basically PC --> D2 (via USB) --> my active speakers using D2 headphone out. Also, like I mentioned before, would you put speaker volume to max and control volume only from D10 (D2 in my case)?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifidk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for clearing up! I have last quick question and hope OP doesn't mind Would you recommend to use D2 Boa headphone out as a preamp (volume control) for my PC? So basically PC --> D2 (via USB) --> my active speakers using D2 headphone out. Also, like I mentioned before, would you put speaker volume to max and control volume only from D10 (D2 in my case)?

No. D3 is much better than D2 Boa, and D10 is even better.

I would do the volume which ever way results in the least noise - if the speakers turned up makes noise, then turn up the D10 and control volume with the speakers. The D10 is very quiet.

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. D3 is much better than D2 Boa, and D10 is even better. I would do the volume which ever way results in the least noise - if the speakers turned up makes noise, then turn up the D10 and control volume with the speakers. The D10 is very quiet.

I see. Thank you!
Hope this helped OP a little too

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

Based on what I understand from the OP, he's looking for a USB DAC/Amp combo with a loop out or pre-amp out depending whether he wants the ability to control the volume of the out or not.

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZephyrSapphire /img/forum/go_quote.gif Based on what I understand from the OP, he's looking for a USB DAC/Amp combo with a loop out or pre-amp out depending whether he wants the ability to control the volume of the out or not.

Yes. It seems like OP wants a usb dac/amp that can work as stand alone dac with RCA loop out and want to use this dac/amp combo as a volume control. I don't personally know any dac/amp combo that provides all these functions.