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Help advise on Speaker and Headphone for PC

Specgeetti

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Hi All,
I am trying to get a Passive speaker for my PC, after reading many forums I think I need help.

Background
I am currently running HD600 using the rear AUX port from the PC (motherboard: ROG Strix 2570-E Gaming with Audio SupremeFX S1220A). understand that the HD600 is 300omh, it seem fine, PC volume at 20 is more than enough for me.

My intention is to be able to switch from Headphone to Speaker on the PC. So everything has to be on the PC.

Setting up/ Buying Passive Speaker
I would like to add a passive speaker to my PC setup using the Optical or SPDIF from my PC because my HD600 is occupying the rear AUX port. I have tried HD600 with the PC front AUX port but the volume drop alot.

I am thinking of getting SMSL SA-50 Plus and a Passive speaker
Polk S20
Wharfedale Diamond 12.2
PSB Alpha p5
Elac debut 2.0 B6.2 or B5.2
Kef Q150

setting it up using the PC Optical or SPDIF> SMSL SA-50 Plus > Passive Speaker (is this setup okay? because the HD600 is occupying the rear AUX port)

Another question is if I were to get a Schitt Stack and a SMSL SA-50 Plus, How do I connect the Schitt Dac > SMSL SA-50 PLUS > Passive Speaker ( I am under the impression that I can do that after reading some forum from reddit/etc. How does this concept work? Because you already have a Schitt Dac and you connect it to another DAC/AMP (SMSL SA-50 PLU) and then to a Passive Speaker. Does it make the passive speaker sound better?

Another question is can I get a All in One DAC/AMP that can power the passive speaker and the HD600 using the PC as the source? if so my budget is around USD800 or under. Can the AV receiver/ Stereo receiver/ integrated amp be an all in one setup for my PC? I have read some review that I think they do....

if the above is not Okay, I am going to get the Kanto Yu6 / Kanto Tuk (has Optical) instead and forget about passive speaker as the setting up is to tedious, where I have been reading lots of forum and I dont seem to be able to grasp the concept.
 

ZolaIII

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That's a lo budget for separate setup.
The active Kali IN 8 V2 800$ and SBX G6 150$ is my proposal (SPDIF to line in on G6, line out to Kali and hedaphone out to hedaphones).
Where do you live and how much space do you have? To try to figure out can you get a second hand big chunky Yamaha and some pasive speakers.
 

ZolaIII

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@staticV3 you are looking at it wrong every traditional amplifier with optical in is one. The Topping only now laid fut to this area.
 

staticV3

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@staticV3 you are looking at it wrong every traditional amplifier with optical in is one. The Topping only now laid fut to this area.
MX5 is DAC + headphone amp + speaker amp in one box.
Are you suggesting that every traditional amplifier with optical in has a built-in headphone Amp as well?

Edit: Ah yes, I guess you're right. Many of these Amps have a headphone output as well. Though my impression was that these headphone amps that you can find on integrated amps from Marantz, Yamaha, etc are very much an afterthought.
 
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ZolaIII

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MX5 is DAC + headphone amp + speaker amp in one box.
Are you suggesting that every traditional amplifier with optical in has a built-in headphone Amp as well?
No but it have DAC (and fake hedaphone out [one with resistor only]). He has hedaphone amp on bord but it would be preferable to dich it all together.

G6 is really great for what it offers (I/O analog/optical and USB, legacy Dolby support, DSP, DAC/ADC and hedaphone amplifier for the price.
 
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Specgeetti

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That's a lo budget for separate setup.
The active Kali IN 8 V2 800$ and SBX G6 150$ is my proposal (SPDIF to line in on G6, line out to Kali and hedaphone out to hedaphones).
Where do you live and how much space do you have? To try to figure out can you get a second hand big chunky Yamaha and some pasive speakers.
I live in Malaysia,

My budget can get up to USD1000 (speaker and DAC+Amp) but I am not keen to spend to so much as I am very new.
I am planing to have the passive speaker on my desk Length: 180 cm Width: 75 cm.

•I am thinking of SMSL SA-50 Plus and a Passive speaker (one of the speaker mentioned in my post) using SPDIF on my PC. (is it okay?)

•Another question is can I use Schiit Modi3 and Magni3 and a speaker amp together?
the Schiit stack powering the headphone and also Schiit stack and Speaker amp powering the Passive speaker? (its confusing but if you get what I mean)
 

staticV3

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Another question is can I use Schiit Modi3 and Magni3 and a speaker amp together?
Screenshot_20220306-101145_Chrome.jpg
 

ZolaIII

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@Specgeetti thing is all those small integrated amplifiers are weak (regarding power) both SMSL and Tooping (bunch of others too).
Well you live on the right place (at least I think so) for a shopping as I think Warfadale, Creative and Yamaha will all be good represented there.
Still I don't think you will have space (on the desk at least) for a 100W @ 8 Ohm's traditional class AB Yamaha (as big as full ATX case) so proposal will active speakers stays. Who ever says how amp in active speakers won't last if implemented properly I have 30 years old Logitech surround on attic telling a different story.

You can use them together as long as you use separate line outs to connect each of them and you can also use line outs from those to contact more stuff (but you won't need that).
 

ThatM1key

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I am thinking of getting SMSL SA-50 Plus
I always get the rule of spending more on your speakers than your amp but the SMSL SA-50 Plus is a low end machine from 2017.

Because you already have a Schitt Dac and you connect it to another DAC/AMP (SMSL SA-50 PLU) and then to a Passive Speaker. Does it make the passive speaker sound better?
If the USB/Optical DAC in the SMSL SA-50 PLU is low-end terrible, then I can imagine an outside DAC (via RCA) making it sound better. I'm rocking a Yamaha A-S301, its got digital inputs and my motherboard has digital outs but I'm using a Topping E30 via analog inputs because I do not trust the DAC in my Yamaha. The Yamaha A-S300 had no digital inputs, so they must've thrown in some low-end DAC in mine.

You can't. The SMSL SA-50 PLUS does not have analog inputs. You are forced to use the internal DAC.
I think its got analog, judging by the AUX. Optical can be put in a 3.5mm Analog jack.

Another question is can I get a All in One DAC/AMP that can power the passive speaker and the HD600 using the PC as the source? if so my budget is around USD800 or under. Can the AV receiver/ Stereo receiver/ integrated amp be an all in one setup for my PC? I have read some review that I think they do....
There rare but I recommend getting separate components. I say that because you might prefer headphones or speakers. If you spend equally between a speaker amp, headphone amp and USB DAC but lets say, you don't like headphones that much, you could use that money towards a better speaker amp, speakers or even a better USB DAC.

My intention is to be able to switch from Headphone to Speaker on the PC. So everything has to be on the PC.
You could use a RCA Switch with a USB DAC. USB DAC --> RCA Switch --> Speaker Amp/Headphone Amp.

setting it up using the PC Optical or SPDIF> SMSL SA-50 Plus > Passive Speaker (is this setup okay? because the HD600 is occupying the rear AUX port)
I think its cheaper and better to have USB DAC and analog speaker amp then try to find a digital input amp.
 

ZolaIII

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@ThatM1key we could talk a lot but he is on a tight budget. By the way I use Yamaha R-N402D (500/250$ new/used) and it's DAC (old 24 bit Burr Brown) is perfectly capable (it doesn't support bit stream Dolby decoding of course) of doing the job done and doing it better than analog inputs (rated @ 100 dB) on it (still perfectly fine for power amp).
Mentioned Kali's are paper cones three way stressed out. They did improve power amp stage the most with V2 but still don't expect miracles.
Option B is Yamaha HS8 which are a tad cheaper, two way mica polimer and fine but not great sound wise. But those come with same old Yamaha AB (Sunken) amp inside. The biggest minus of HS8 is that they have only a balanced inputs so you would have to spend more on DAC - hedaphone amp part which actually increases the price in the end.
 
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Specgeetti

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ZolaIII would like to ask what is the minimum $ to spend on a new speaker setup i.e. amp, dac and speaker. I thought USD1000 is alot for speaker setup, from our discussion it seem the speaker world is a whole different universe and is probably 2x or 10x the spending of a headphone setup.​

I think I would settle with a Kanto yu6 or tuk... would like to ask does the kanto yu6 or tuk benefit from a DAC/AMP?​

 
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Specgeetti

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Actually my goal was 2.0 setup strictly for music, occasional gaming for PC. no TV. Literally only to play spotify, youtube...
anybody feel free to recommend.... budget around USD 1000~2000
 

ThatM1key

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@ThatM1key we could talk a lot but he is on a tight budget. By the way I use Yamaha R-N402D (500/250$ new/used) and it's DAC (old 24 bit Burr Brown) is perfectly capable (it doesn't support bit stream Dolby decoding of course) of doing the job done and doing it better than analog inputs (rated @ 100 dB) on it (still perfectly fine for power amp).
I think the Yamaha R-N803 is the only cheapest "ToP-ART" receiver and "could" be comparable to a Yamaha A-S301/Yamaha A-S501 or probably a Yamaha S701 due to more "direct" button or could be its own mash up. I say that because the Yamaha A-S301 and Yamaha R-N303 are night and day differences, A-S301 looks like a champ (cheapest "ToP-ART" amp) while the R-N303 looks like a budget 90s receiver inside.

I think the Yamaha R-N303 is a newer Yamaha R-N402D, both have almost identical specs and even the layout inside is almost the same. I'm sure its a good amp but man they really took out performance for convenience. I personally think an Outside DAC via analog is gonna sound better than an internal DAC. If you think that sounds great, power to you but for me, I just can't
 

ZolaIII

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Minimum is to get stressed out three way speakers and that lo end (bass) driver's should be 7 (preferable 8)" (and 8 Ohm's also preferable) at least. Otherwise you end not being satisfied with their lo and performance and throwing in a sub or two + amps for those. You need a deacent power amplifier with spare power so you can cranch it up and not to clip. All those small integrated ones that ware mentioned (along with all less capable ones not mentioned including ones from more traditional brands) won't be able to drive such speakers. To add to the problematic today there is lot slimmer choice for pasive speakers compared to booming market of active one's.
Chepest stand alone setup would be to find in a really good condition second hand Yamaha R-N402D (like I did and I believe it will be easier for you there to do so then it whose for me hire where I live) and put rest of the money to the pasive speakers. It will be chunky of course and it doesn't include hedaphone amp nor stand alone DAC (or combo of those) but you do get some extras for music like network/WiFi streaming (see MusicCast for reference to popular ones that it supports as I meant more of DLNA server when I mentioned it, also see the rest of their MusicCast product line).
It's not really like that, it's the 5:1 ratio same like with hedaphones (100$ gets you great IEM's and 500$ gets you great over ear). What costs the most arr errors in setup which lead to changes and additional cost (when ever you buy something sub pair or what could have been substantial better and then either buy something entirely else or try to fix it with additional cost).
 

ZolaIII

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Miloše R-N402D has identical power output stage (little worse authended of course) as R-N803 while newer ones are either cut down (less powerful Sunken pairs) or entirely different (different AB or D stage). The R-N402D is a bare bone (no DSP bord of any kind) but that's exactly you wish (as all of those their used on both AVR's and 2.0 amplifiers are far from great and even good to start with).
 

ThatM1key

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Chepest stand alone setup would be to find in a really good condition second hand Yamaha R-N402D (like I did and I believe it will be easier for you there to do so then it whose for me hire where I live) and put rest of the money to the pasive speakers. It will be chunky of course and it doesn't include hedaphone amp nor stand alone DAC (or combo of those) but you do get some extras for music like network/WiFi streaming (see MusicCast for reference to popular ones that it supports as I meant more of DLNA server when I mentioned it, also see the rest of their MusicCast product line).
If you want good sound, yeah I can see somebody, even my own father, using that Yamaha R-N402D/Yamaha R-N303. If you want "high fidelity" and hear detail, I would recommend the Yamaha A-S301. Your giving up smart features for rare detail power, so if you want smartness and power, get an outside smart device.
 

ZolaIII

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If you want good sound, yeah I can see somebody, even my own father, using that Yamaha R-N402D/Yamaha R-N303. If you want "high fidelity" and hear detail, I would recommend the Yamaha A-S301. Your giving up smart features for rare detail power, so if you want smartness and power, get an outside smart device.
Puff all of them are hold back by analog inputs (which are rated @ 100 dB in all cases) and using their in built DAC resolves that. It's a "same" power amplifier stage as I mentioned before (without any cuts on R-N402D).
 
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