the Interceptor's general AUDIO thread

Got the correct power cable and hooked up a record player with a cartridge tone arm that I haven’t seen in person before. Only on a TechMoan video. @loose_unit gave it to me who turn got it from @thomas as his system had a ground buzz with it.

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My setup get's really complicated as I run everything through a media PC - So with this player I had the player, going to a preamp going to a cheap USB sound card... With all sorts of random cables and adapters to make it work...

The new record player just connects via USB to my media PC, perfect!
 
Getting the IMIX 7.3 mixer was a great way to replace a load of converters and joining cables in my setup, as well as eliminate the inevitable noise from USB power supplies as most were USB powered. It's handy that I can now use it for device switching and phono amplification to take some stress off the A1 amp.

I started making a video about the Braun Hi-Fi stuff including some circuit board shots but it isn't finished yet, big surprise. :LOL:
 
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Can anyone recommend a small USB or optical DAC with volume/tone controls that won't fall apart? The one I have is having weird buzzing issues and the volume potentiometer has always been flaky. I tried a Behringer UMC204HD and it's a great audio recording device but an awful output device. I'd go for the Mackie Big Knob but that's too big!

I'd just go back to using onboard PC audio but I really like having the volume control to hand, tone controls for when I use headphones and a simple on/off switch. I can mimic most on the DAP mixer but it has no tone controls for the headphones, maybe I just need to tag the headphones on to the cassette output and use those controls. :hmm:

I'm interested in suggestions anyway. Cheers.
 
Matt2000 said:
Can anyone recommend a small USB or optical DAC with volume/tone controls that won't fall apart? The one I have is having weird buzzing issues and the volume potentiometer has always been flaky. I tried a Behringer UMC204HD and it's a great audio recording device but an awful output device. I'd go for the Mackie Big Knob but that's too big!

I'd just go back to using onboard PC audio but I really like having the volume control to hand, tone controls for when I use headphones and a simple on/off switch. I can mimic most on the DAP mixer but it has no tone controls for the headphones, maybe I just need to tag the headphones on to the cassette output and use those controls. :hmm:

I'm interested in suggestions anyway. Cheers.
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I know of a few compact devices that combine a DAC and an amp/preamp that would give you volume control, but I don't know of any (desktop) devices that combine DAC, amp/volume control, and tone control, but maybe there's something out there other than a full-blown AV receiver.

This might be an option for a compact DAC and amp: Schiit Fulla 2
USB or optical in, 1/8" and 1/4" headphone out. No tone control but the volume pot will be good quality.

Or combine this: Schiit Modi+ with this: Schiit Magni+
Better audio quality than Fulla, similar ins, Magni gives you headphone and RCA preamp outs.

If tone control is a must, you could add this: Loki Mini to either option above. Or to any RCA cabled setup, really.

I believe they have a UK distributor as well.
 
Now those are the kinds of devices I was looking for. You could say that Schiit looks good. :-|

Thanks for the suggestions, the Fulla 2 basically ticks the boxes out of the gate. The combo of the Modi+ and Magni+ is interesting too, they certainly look like nice devices. I think I just need to move my headphone tone control onto one of the mixer outputs, and the cassette output to the actual record output but the Loki Mini is an interesting addition, I could put it on the headphone output path from the mixer if I wanted to. :hmm:

I'm currently using the optical output on the motherboard and I'd like to move away from it if I can, despite being a modern motherboard there's something funky about the Windows 11 drivers, the device often just stops working and I have to switch to the HDMI audio on my TV. Thankfully that's connected to the mixer too so it's not a huge inconvenience, I just lose my beloved easy reach volume control.

Edit: I like the way they point out the Alps potentiometer, the crappy volume pot on this current DAC is the biggest issue.
 
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So there is Schiit UK that sells that Schiit, but they're out of stock. Schiit. I'll have to wait and watch their stock.

I've found a way around the tone controls for the headphones though, without moving any cables. I had to look at the circuit diagram for the mixer, because it's definitely not obvious.

Originally I was using PFL and had the headphone mix set to that. It bypasses the tone and level controls.


Instead I can just use Master 1 and flip the headphone ratio across to master, it still skips the master level but doesn't skip the tone controls.


Oh yeah and I bought a Stylophone Gen X-1. :LOL:
 
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Well with Schiit kit not being available, I went looking at other things and fell down a rabbit hole. Seems like searching for gaming DACs was the right way to go as that came up with other options. One being the Sennheiser GSX 1000. I looked at some reviews and it seemed kind of meh, especially compared with the stack products.

Anyway long story short I saw the JDS Labs Element II and that fitted the bill perfectly now I no longer need tone controls.
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No longer available new and the Element III was too expensive but there was an Element II used on eBay for £250. Snatched that up and it's bloody awesome. It fits perfectly in the space I have and provides the fine volume control I've always wanted. As I mentioned in my first post on Monday, I would've bought a Mackie Big Knob if it wasn't such a huge device. This has an even bigger knob but in a smaller and ultimately better sounding device. The difference in sound quality from my cheap DAC is obvious, even with the audio going through the mixer and an 1980s amp.

The fact that it's also a very pretty device is a nice bonus and it doesn't move around like my old DAC did.
 
eizbaer said:
Because of whatever spring sale shenzhenaudio was having, I ordered one of these for the office (SMSL AD18). I still have a kit for DIY bookshelf speakers somewhere in the basement that I have to build (example pic below, my cabinets will look quite a bit different though), so those will go on the desk to be driven by this little box. Anything else would be overkill, really, and the bluetooth source means I can easily switch between my desktop PC and the work laptop without too much faff. I trust the DAC in there is also a bunch better than the onboard crap in my PC, so I'm quite happy about the digital inputs. No idea how the unit handles headphones (having to pull the plug to get the speakers to work would be annoying), but I have another source for the headphones that I could switch to anyway.

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ALRIGHT THAT ONLY TOOK HALF A YEAR I GUESS... ahemm, sorry about that...

now up and running. I guess the pic could just as well go into the post your messy desk thread... it's a WIP... and I have to clean it up a little more. yes. Anyway, for 50€ a piece*, those things deliver. As always, I am again and again positively surprised by the insane value that is DIY speakers.

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also check out that James Bond 2CV :love:

* 2 years ago... now 85€ a pop. still good value imo.
 
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