How to Connect Monitor to DAC?

[Exprima]

I want to get a secondary monitor so I can play my Nintendo Switch on my desk with my PC. I currently have a setup that has my PC plugged into my DAC via USB. My DAC has an input selector that allows me to switch between USB/coax/optical sources. My monitor only has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Is there any way I can plug the monitor into the DAC? I'll be plugging the Switch into the monitor via HDMI.

[Himommies]

Plug the switch into the DAC

[Exprima]

Just now, Himommies said:

Plug the switch into the DAC

The Switch only has HDMI out, no optical or SPDIF.

[Himommies]

1 minute ago, Exprima said:

The Switch only has HDMI out, no optical or SPDIF.

https://www.amazon.ca/Extractor-Splitter-Optical-TOSLINK-Converter/dp/B06VVTQY8D/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BS306BD4T93KMBADHQWA

[Exprima]

1 hour ago, Himommies said:

https://www.amazon.ca/Extractor-Splitter-Optical-TOSLINK-Converter/dp/B06VVTQY8D/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BS306BD4T93KMBADHQWA

That's perfect, thanks!

[ninbura]

If your monitor has a 3.5mm port you could just use that as opposed to extracting the audio with an in-line extractor. Additionally this would allow for every device connected to the monitor to output to the DAC as opposed to solely the Nintendo Switch.

What DAC is it?

[Exprima]

On 8/3/2018 at 6:13 PM, TheAgnda said:

If your monitor has a 3.5mm port you could just use that as opposed to extracting the audio with an in-line extractor. Additionally this would allow for every device connected to the monitor to output to the DAC as opposed to solely the Nintendo Switch.

What DAC is it?

Would be a Topping D30, I can't find any desktop DACs that have 3.5mm in.

[ninbura]

31 minutes ago, Exprima said:

Would be a Topping D30, I can't find any desktop DACs that have 3.5mm in.

Thought it might of had RCA input connections, looks like you best bet is an extractor, could always get an HMDI Switch to add more devices running them all through the extractor.

[anothertom]

3 hours ago, Exprima said:

Would be a Topping D30, I can't find any desktop DACs that have 3.5mm in.

Because a DAC takes a digital input and outputs an analogue signal. A DAC/amp combo is more likely to have an analogue input as well as a digital input.

 

Seeing as how you've already got a D30 (And presumably a headphone amp as well?) Using an HDMI audio extractor is a better option. You're then using the same signal chain for all devices.

[Exprima]

4 hours ago, anothertom said:

Because a DAC takes a digital input and outputs an analogue signal. A DAC/amp combo is more likely to have an analogue input as well as a digital input.

 

Seeing as how you've already got a D30 (And presumably a headphone amp as well?) Using an HDMI audio extractor is a better option. You're then using the same signal chain for all devices.

I don't have the D30 yet but I'm getting it alongside the A30 as I'm getting myself a Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro for my bday in less than a month. And yeah I think the extractor is the way I'll go.

[Dackzy]

6 hours ago, Exprima said:

I don't have the D30 yet but I'm getting it alongside the A30 as I'm getting myself a Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro for my bday in less than a month. And yeah I think the extractor is the way I'll go.

don't get the D30 or the A30, they are trash. The A30 has a 10 ohm output impedance which is just god awful and makes it bad for low impedance gear, the D30 is warm and compressed sounding. A IFI nano black lable or schiit stack would be better.

 

honestly they charge you $100 for the A30 and then $100 for the D30, but they are based upon the the same circut as what the Monoprice desktop amp uses and that is like $80 for both the DAC and amp. I cannot for the life of me hear or see why people recommend Topping gear, the value isn't there, but sure that kinda BS site drooled over it.

[Exprima]

33 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

don't get the D30 or the A30, they are trash. The A30 has a 10 ohm output impedance which is just god awful and makes it bad for low impedance gear, the D30 is warm and compressed sounding. A IFI nano black lable or schiit stack would be better.

 

honestly they charge you $100 for the A30 and then $100 for the D30, but they are based upon the the same circut as what the Monoprice desktop amp uses and that is like $80 for both the DAC and amp. I cannot for the life of me hear or see why people recommend Topping gear, the value isn't there, but sure that kinda BS site drooled over it.

Do you have first hand experience with it? I need a setup with a USB and optical input as well as both 1/4 and 1/8 inch outputs.

[Dackzy]

15 minutes ago, Exprima said:

Do you have first hand experience with it? I need a setup with a USB and optical input as well as both 1/4 and 1/8 inch outputs.

yes I have quite a bit of experience with Topping gear, the small 3.5mm on the A30 has a output impedance of 30 ohm which is just insane, the 10 ohm is already very high, 30 ohm is just insane.

 

Why do you need both 1/4 and 1/8? You know that you can buy 1/8 to 1/4 adapters for like $1-2.

 

Honestly modi 2 uber and magni 3, you can even give their B stock a look. Or see what your used market has to offer.

You can also take the D30 and then a magni 3, that would be better than D30 and A30, then you would be sure to stay at that $200 mark.

[Exprima]

2 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

yes I have quite a bit of experience with Topping gear, the small 3.5mm on the A30 has a output impedance of 30 ohm which is just insane, the 10 ohm is already very high, 30 ohm is just insane.

 

Why do you need both 1/4 and 1/8? You know that you can buy 1/8 to 1/4 adapters for like $1-2.

 

Honestly modi 2 uber and magni 3, you can even give their B stock a look. Or see what your used market has to offer.

You can also take the D30 and then a magni 3, that would be better than D30 and A30, then you would be sure to stay at that $200 mark.

Idk I'm just not a fan of Schiit, 2 of my friends have their own stacks and they have problems with them. What about the Aune X1S, Matrix HPA-2, or SMSL M6?

[Dackzy]

Just now, Exprima said:

Idk I'm just not a fan of Schiit, 2 of my friends have their own stacks and they have problems with them. What about the Aune X1S, Matrix HPA-2, or SMSL M6?

Aune is like schiit, but with high output impedance, SMSL is iffy as hell way worse than schiit in that sense and their products are at the very best mediocre and I have never even heard of Matrix.

 

What kind of problems do they have?

[Exprima]

10 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

Aune is like schiit, but with high output impedance, SMSL is iffy as hell way worse than schiit in that sense and their products are at the very best mediocre and I have never even heard of Matrix.

 

What kind of problems do they have?

One of them has a stack that stopped working and the other one says there's a slight hiss when he's not listening to anything on his HD 6XX. Also tbh I don't like the Schiit aesthetic.

 

EDIT: Here's the HPA-2C http://store.matrix-digi.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=60

and a review of it on HeadFi https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/matrix-hpa-2c-classic-dekstop-headphone-amplfier-dac-and-pre-amplifier.21529/reviews

[Dackzy]

5 minutes ago, Exprima said:

One of them has a stack that stopped working and the other one says there's a slight hiss when he's not listening to anything on his HD 6XX. Also tbh I don't like the Schiit aesthetic.

the first one happens to all products, not every single thing a company makes is going to work, so I wouldn't worry too much about that, since it isn't a common thing.

The normal modi 2 is very sensitive to bad USB power, which can explain why the other one has a hiss or it is bad wall outlet power. Which is why I generally recommend the Uber model, since it isn't as sensitive to bad USB.

 

I can't say much about aesthetics, I personally don't care much and I think schiit is pretty harmless in that catagory, but ofc that is highly personal