Recommended sound cards/DAC with 40mm connector

[Eastman51]

A friend of mine is interested in getting some kind of audio solution with a 40mm connector to make use of some headphones he received as a gift. 

I'm not sure what headphones they are, but they only have a 40mm connector on them. He also has some kind of Sennheisers that have a detachable cable for 40mm. 

He wants something PCIe or otherwise internal, to remove desk clutter; but he's open to USB DACs if those are his only options. 

He doesn't have a set budget right now, but is open to suggestions across the price range; ideally a cheap, mid-range, and high-end option.

 

I'm not to familiar with a lot of the audio hardware offerings, so I am also interested in seeing what's out there. 

[rice guru]

I don't think any pcie cards offer such solution. but an external solution that could be offered are Aune X1s which is a niceDAC/AMP combo. but if he wants to go serious he can get an $100 dac like topping d30 or modi and use an amp like a jds atomm or a monolith liquid spark. 

[Derkoli]

12 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

A friend of mine is interested in getting some kind of audio solution with a 40mm connector to make use of some headphones he received as a gift. 

I'm not sure what headphones they are, but they only have a 40mm connector on them. He also has some kind of Sennheisers that have a detachable cable for 40mm. 

He wants something PCIe or otherwise internal, to remove desk clutter; but he's open to USB DACs if those are his only options. 

He doesn't have a set budget right now, but is open to suggestions across the price range; ideally a cheap, mid-range, and high-end option.

 

I'm not to familiar with a lot of the audio hardware offerings, so I am also interested in seeing what's out there. 

Wdym by 40mm connector? do you mean xlr?

[rice guru]

Just now, Derkoli said:

Wdym by 40mm connector? do you mean xlr?

yeah that confused me too I was just kinda assuming he meant quarter inch

[Derkoli]

Just now, rice guru said:

yeah that confused me too I was just kinda assuming he meant quarter inch

Isnt quarter inch closer to 6mm? idk. think he means xlr as its closer.. but even then i dont think xlr is 40mm..

[Eastman51]

16 minutes ago, Derkoli said:

Wdym by 40mm connector? do you mean xlr?

That's all my friend told me. I'm not too familiar with audio equipment so idk. I was kinda confused too, I asked him if it was the "big connector, like on my old shitty microphone", to which he replied "yes." 

 

It should be something like this:

[rice guru]

25 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

That's all my friend told me. I'm not too familiar with audio equipment so idk. I was kinda confused too, I asked him if it was the "big connector, like on my old shitty microphone", to which he replied "yes." 

 

It should be something like this:

ok so a quarter inch so my original comment still stands

 

[jasonvp]

1 hour ago, Eastman51 said:

He wants something PCIe or otherwise internal, to remove desk clutter; but he's open to USB DACs if those are his only options. 

I'm assuming you mean 1/4" or 6mm; if so, SoundBlaster's ZxR card has 1/4" phone connections on the back with an "OK" internal amp.  Should be plenty to drive whatever Senn cans he's got.

 

[Derkoli]

50 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

That's all my friend told me. I'm not too familiar with audio equipment so idk. I was kinda confused too, I asked him if it was the "big connector, like on my old shitty microphone", to which he replied "yes." 

 

It should be something like this:

ah 6.3mm, im pretty sure you can get 3.5mm to 6.3 adapters, so any decent sound card, what headphones has he got?

[Tz000]

2 hours ago, Eastman51 said:

A friend of mine is interested in getting some kind of audio solution with a 40mm connector to make use of some headphones he received as a gift. 

I'm not sure what headphones they are, but they only have a 40mm connector on them. He also has some kind of Sennheisers that have a detachable cable for 40mm. 

He wants something PCIe or otherwise internal, to remove desk clutter; but he's open to USB DACs if those are his only options. 

He doesn't have a set budget right now, but is open to suggestions across the price range; ideally a cheap, mid-range, and high-end option.

 

I'm not to familiar with a lot of the audio hardware offerings, so I am also interested in seeing what's out there. 

you can get an adapter you do not need 1/4 inch input see here:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-3-5mm-Stereo-6-35mm-Adaptor/dp/B003R70OA4/ref=asc_df_B003R70OA4/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292929202443&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5867995050282587704&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001504&hvtargid=pla-308115207089&psc=1

 

If you still want a sound card / dac / amp I would stay away from internal solutions sound quality and amp power will not be as good as a stand alone dac / amp tell him to purchase a  x6 and call it day.  Lots of inputs / outputs for just about any application, good amplifier that can power lots of headphones and will sound better than most internal solutions if you dont want it on your desk place it ontop of your PC case or mount it under your desk.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Dilvpoetry-Headphone-Amplifier-Optical-Coaxial/dp/B075YV8V6Y/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fx+audio+x6&qid=1552942478&s=electronics&sr=1-1

 

 

[Eastman51]

2 hours ago, Derkoli said:

ah 6.3mm, im pretty sure you can get 3.5mm to 6.3 adapters, so any decent sound card, what headphones has he got?

The headphones he got gifted are the Audio Technica BPHS1, and he's been using the Sennheiser HD7

[rice guru]

16 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

The headphones he got gifted are the Audio Technica BPHS1, and he's been using the Sennheiser HD7

ohhh. ok so it has both quarter inch and a XLR for the mic. he should get a audio interface so he would want something like a scarlett https://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=35P3X7IS7CE7K&keywords=scarlett+audio+interface&qid=1552948366&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=scarlett+audio+inte%2Cmi%2C201&sr=1-2

[TempestCatto]

3 hours ago, Derkoli said:

Isnt quarter inch closer to 6mm? idk. think he means xlr as its closer.. but even then i dont think xlr is 40mm..

Quarter inch is also 5mm. I was used to using the metric system with 2.5, 3.5, and 5 millimetres respectively. But my colleagues all use imperial units and I have picked up 1/8th inch and 1/4 inch (2.5mm would basically be 1/10th inch I believe, but no one uses that measurement, or connector).

[rice guru]

3 minutes ago, TempestCatto said:

Quarter inch is also 5mm. I was used to using the metric system with 2.5, 3.5, and 5 millimetres respectively. But my colleagues all use imperial units and I have picked up 1/8th inch and 1/4 inch (2.5mm would basically be 1/10th inch I believe, but no one uses that measurement, or connector).

sennheiser sill uses 2.5 mm on some of their headphones it's really annoying cause they also make it proprietary. 

[Eastman51]

10 minutes ago, rice guru said:

ohhh. ok so it has both quarter inch and a XLR for the mic. he should get a audio interface so he would want something like a scarlett https://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=35P3X7IS7CE7K&keywords=scarlett+audio+interface&qid=1552948366&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=scarlett+audio+inte%2Cmi%2C201&sr=1-2

I don't think he wants or needs XLR, he already has a USB mic that he likes (Blue Snowball). Is this both a DAC and an amp?

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, Eastman51 said:

I don't think he wants or needs XLR, he already has a USB mic that he likes (Blue Snowball). Is this both a DAC and an amp?

yep. it has an amp and a DAC. 

[Eastman51]

19 minutes ago, rice guru said:

yep. it has an amp and a DAC. 

I talked to him, and he's saying his budget is around $100 USD. 

The Dilvpoetry amp + dac that @Tz000 recommended is looking like a good option for him.

He's also considering an adapter and a Soundblaster Audigy FX (not a fantastic soundcard, I'd assume; but it fits in his budget).

He'd like some options in standalone DAC and amp units, within his budget ofc.

[rice guru]

16 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

I talked to him, and he's saying his budget is around $100 USD. 

The Dilvpoetry amp + dac that @Tz000 recommended is looking like a good option for him.

He's also considering an adapter and a Soundblaster Audigy FX (not a fantastic soundcard, I'd assume; but it fits in his budget).

He'd like some options in standalone DAC and amp units, within his budget ofc.

within that budget he could get a fx audio dac x6 or a fiio k3 both sound great for a around a 100. he jsut needs an adapter from quarter inch to 3.5mm

[Eastman51]

6 minutes ago, rice guru said:

within that budget he could get a fx audio dac x6 or a fiio k3 both sound great for a around a 100. he jsut needs an adapter from quarter inch to 3.5mm

Is there a difference between the FX audio X6 and the Dilvpoetry X6?

[rice guru]

pretty sure the fx audio is the original