DAC into Mixer?

[kutora]

So I've been thinking about getting a DAC for awhile now because the audio on my new motherboard is awful.

I don't think I've ever seen people doing it, but I'm wanting to use a DAC and run it into my audio mixer using the RCA inputs on it.

More specifically, a Schiit Modi 3 into a Mackie 402VLZ4 via the Tape In.

 

A couple key questions:

• Should I be concerned about the output level coming from the DAC to my mixer?
  • Pretty sure the input I want to use for my mixer 
  • I'm only using ATH-M40s so I don't think it should be a problem, but just want some peace of mind.
• Would a DAC + Amp like the Schiit Fulla 2 make more sense for the setup I want?

 

I'm open to any suggestions, but I do need a proper line out, not a pre-out which ruled out a lot of the nicer and newer FiiO DAC+Amp products. 

Also, before anyone else says just use motherboard audio, I'm using a FiiO E10k right now just to rule out my headphones and mixer, and it also provided a noticeable improvement in audio quality despite how easy to drive the ATH-M40s are.

[jasonvp]

46 minutes ago, kutora said:

A couple key questions:

• Should I be concerned about the output level coming from the DAC to my mixer?
  • Pretty sure the input I want to use for my mixer 
  • I'm only using ATH-M40s so I don't think it should be a problem, but just want some peace of mind.

I have a Schiit Modi Multi connected to my Mackie DL32R via RCA-to-XLRs.  It's not a problem at all.  The mixer will deal with it.  There's no need to send the DAC's output to a discrete amp if you're then going to feed it to a mixer.  Let the mixer handle the amplification; Mackie's pretty good at that.

 

[kutora]

16 minutes ago, jasonvp said:

I have a Schiit Modi Multi connected to my Mackie DL32R via RCA-to-XLRs.  It's not a problem at all.  The mixer will deal with it.  There's no need to send the DAC's output to a discrete amp if you're then going to feed it to a mixer.  Let the mixer handle the amplification; Mackie's pretty good at that.

 

Thing is, the inputs on my mixer that I'm planning to use do not have the Onyx preamps. Although it can increase the signal by 15 db I'm worried that if I do need to amplify the sound it will just become a noisy mess. From my experience using this input, it sounds best and is easiest to work with running at unity.

[jasonvp]

51 minutes ago, kutora said:

Thing is, the inputs on my mixer that I'm planning to use do not have the Onyx preamps. Although it can increase the signal by 15 db I'm worried that if I do need to amplify the sound it will just become a noisy mess. From my experience using this input, it sounds best and is easiest to work with running at unity.

What's the purpose of the mixer?  What other sound sources do you have?