Question about DAC

[melter]

Hello, new member here (from OCN territory ). I've been watching linus tech tips for a while but just decided to join to ask a question:

 

I was recently looking into buying an objective2 DAC+AMP combo from mayflower but I am not sure which version to buy. There seem to be two models which are almost identical:

 

https://www.mayflowerelectronics.com/shop/digital-to-analog-converters/objective2-odac-combo-with-rear-power/?attribute_add-bamboo-panel=no

 

and

 

https://www.mayflowerelectronics.com/shop/mayflower-custom-products/desktop-objective2-with-odac/

 

however one is more expensive and is labelled as a "desktop" version, whatever that means.

 

I'm looking to buy one for use with my PC to replace my sound card (sound blaster ZxR), and was directed to these forums to ask.

 

Any input is appreciated.

[ShearMe]

Pretty sure it's just a quarter inch jack and an aluminum knob. Right @MayflowerElectronics?

[MayflowerElectronics]

Yup! And welcome to the forum.

[pas008]

jdslabs.com sells objective dac/amps too

[ShearMe]

jdslabs.com sells objective dac/amps too

 

[melter]

ah i see, thank you for the clarification

[applesuxD]

Mayflower electronics and schiit audio are the best for dacs and odacs in my opinion

Also my school is called Mayflower secondary haha

[EmoRarity]

Do you have any particular reason to buy an amp/dac combo. Or is it "because I can" 

[applesuxD]

Do you have any particular reason to buy an amp/dac combo. Or is it "because I can"

Way better audio is good enuf reason I'll say..

Unless his using a USB headset

[NannerBeans]

Mayflower electronics and schiit audio are the best for dacs and odacs in my opinion

Also my school is called Mayflower secondary haha

 

Way better audio is good enuf reason I'll say..

Unless his using a USB headset

Schiit is a terrible company and I refuse to buy any of their products. They're super ugly anyway. But the quality difference from getting a better source is minimal. It's not noticeable for most people. I've owned multiple onboards as well as a o2/odac combo, a monoprice dac/amp, and a $25 cheap syba dac/amp and I have to try really hard to hear a difference and half the time I can't. 

[MrGoat]

Schiit is a terrible company and I refuse to buy any of their products. They're super ugly anyway. But the quality difference from getting a better source is minimal. It's not noticeable for most people. I've owned multiple onboards as well as a o2/odac combo, a monoprice dac/amp, and a $25 cheap syba dac/amp and I have to try really hard to hear a difference and half the time I can't. 

I couldn't disagree more. I've listened to a fair number of dacs and amps, and while past a certain price point they're pretty similar and it really does come down to personal preference. I've used a LOT of different schiit products and they are always really high build quality, sound quality, and their customer support is fantastic. Imo, Schiit has a super detailed and transparent (some might call bright, certainly the magni was) sound that I really think sounds amazing with my HD650. And imo, the Bifrost and Asgard 2 look really clean on a desk stacked on top of each other.

 

[Lays]

q

 

 

He dislikes them because of the headphone killing incident and the head-fi cover-up that happened because of it.

 

I think the way they handled that situation was terrible, and I previously disliked them for that.

But I recently bought a Lyr and it didn't have a "relay" in it, they let me send it into them, and gave me a new Lyr with a new set of tubes, with a relay in it. (For free)

They had excellent customer service in helping me, even when the unit wasn't under warranty for me because I bought it used.

[BoredErica]

They shouldn't sound similar, they should sound identical, given that they are audibly transparent like the Objective. I only recommended the Schiit modi/mangi in the past because I was relatively confident it was. I guess the stacking has uses, but I would still prefer an all in one package.

[melter]

Do you have any particular reason to buy an amp/dac combo. Or is it "because I can" 

 

i'm not gonna lie, its mostly "because i can".

 

I recently notice when playing audiosurf 2, during the moments where the framerate goes up to upwards 500fps (as I'm running a gtx 980 and the developer(s) didnt put any sort of frame limit on it), I could hear coil whine coming from my headphones that were hooked up directly to my ZxR. I verified that the sound was actually coming from the headphones, which surprised me since im using a ~$200 sound card, and it doesnt sit right under my video card either.

 

I didn't do any tests to see if I can hear noise under regular circumstances/framerates, but I would prefer to just sell the ZxR and get an external amp+DAC

[BoredErica]

i'm not gonna lie, its mostly "because i can".

 

I recently notice when playing audiosurf 2, during the moments where the framerate goes up to upwards 500fps (as I'm running a gtx 980 and the developer(s) didnt put any sort of frame limit on it), I could hear coil whine coming from my headphones that were hooked up directly to my ZxR. I verified that the sound was actually coming from the headphones, which surprised me since im using a ~$200 sound card, and it doesnt sit right under my video card either.

 

I didn't do any tests to see if I can hear noise under regular circumstances/framerates, but I would prefer to just sell the ZxR and get an external amp+DAC

That's fine, I bought my O2/Odac mostly because I can too.

[EmoRarity]

i'm not gonna lie, its mostly "because i can".

 

I recently notice when playing audiosurf 2, during the moments where the framerate goes up to upwards 500fps (as I'm running a gtx 980 and the developer(s) didnt put any sort of frame limit on it), I could hear coil whine coming from my headphones that were hooked up directly to my ZxR. I verified that the sound was actually coming from the headphones, which surprised me since im using a ~$200 sound card, and it doesnt sit right under my video card either.

 

I didn't do any tests to see if I can hear noise under regular circumstances/framerates, but I would prefer to just sell the ZxR and get an external amp+DAC

Shit reasons are better then none, good enough for me. 

[creatip123]

i'm not gonna lie, its mostly "because i can".

 

I recently notice when playing audiosurf 2, during the moments where the framerate goes up to upwards 500fps (as I'm running a gtx 980 and the developer(s) didnt put any sort of frame limit on it), I could hear coil whine coming from my headphones that were hooked up directly to my ZxR. I verified that the sound was actually coming from the headphones, which surprised me since im using a ~$200 sound card, and it doesnt sit right under my video card either.

 

I didn't do any tests to see if I can hear noise under regular circumstances/framerates, but I would prefer to just sell the ZxR and get an external amp+DAC

 

Keep in mind though, when you're going for external amp+DAC, you'd lose a few feature, like the multi-channel audio, audio effects, etc. Basically, you're going from a multi-feature device to a basic stereo device. Not saying that it's a bad thing, but yeah, that's what you're doing. 

 

If your onboard is good and functional, you can use that for multi-channel audio operation (such as surround speaker set, mic input, etc)

 

Best way is to get the O2+ODAC first, and use it for a while. If you find yourself never switching back to the zxr, then sell it.

[melter]

Keep in mind though, when you're going for external amp+DAC, you'd lose a few feature, like the multi-channel audio, audio effects, etc. Basically, you're going from a multi-feature device to a basic stereo device. Not saying that it's a bad thing, but yeah, that's what you're doing. 

 

If your onboard is good and functional, you can use that for multi-channel audio operation (such as surround speaker set, mic input, etc)

 

Best way is to get the O2+ODAC first, and use it for a while. If you find yourself never switching back to the zxr, then sell it.

 

no problem for me, only use headphones (I dont even own computer speakers anymore), and I've turned off all the SBX audio "enchancements" since day 1.