This thread was awfully similar but the answer isn't what I'm thinking of going with: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-speakers-usb-midi-keyboard-controller.15481/ Mostly due to my woes of devices that rely solely on USB power from the computer... but change my mind. Maybe the Scarlett I have is just a bad apple.
I won't get into how I acquired these things over time or the decisions that lead to them... Is what it is...
Current speakers:
- 2xYamaha HS80M, 1xYamaha HS10W (XLR and TRS in - but they accept TS too apparently)
Current headphones:
- Sennheiser HD558... but going to likely get the HD6XX soon because the pads on the HD558 are falling apart and I wanted to try something new.
Current devices:
- LG B7 (optical out)
- Windows desktop computer with noisy USB (has a special "DAC" port though - somewhat less noisy)
Current DAC+AMP combo:
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st gen?)
I also have a Heil PR40 microphone that I use with that Scarlett but I think it's a bad pairing since the Heil PR40 basically only works with the gain turned to 95%+. Thus, I'm thinking of replacing the Scarlett.
Problems that I've been encountering: With the microphone, Scarlett doesn't have enough gain or the right range of gain or something (there's like 1mm of play at the very end I can do between you can hear me and it clipping to infinity). With the speakers, depending on the day and whatever else - the Scarlett can really produce a lot of noise on my speakers. A lot. If my graphics card is fired up, there is likely some background noise going through the speakers. If I use the wrong USB port for the Scarlett, I can hear my mouse move. Doesn't happen on the headphone port at all though.
So, lots of nonsense. I've dealt with this nonsense for about 7 years and it's been painful. I'd like to solve the noise issue permanently, connect the tv to the speakers better (currently using this cheap optical to RCA converter to then 1/4" but the sound level is pretty low and not adjustable), and then be able to power the headphones... The headphones are the breaking point for this setup as I don't think they'd work with the Scarlett.
Started going down quite the rabbit hole with all of this. Eventually found the Schiit products and thought maybe that'd work with some rca to ts. (Schiit stack + sys) Didn't really like the idea of the setup or relying on USB power or having a bunch of wall warts (I'm just a bit tweaked on USB power, obviously). Saw the Topping DX7 Pro ... thinking maybe that's the way to go?
Thinking:
- Computer does USB to Topping DX7 Pro
- TV does optical to Topping DX7 Pro
- Topping DX7 Pro does XLR out straight to my subwoofer -> speakers
- Topping DX7 Pro does 1/4 out to HD6XX or whatever
Any thoughts? I know this is a weird ramble that's probably typical of first time posters here who have no idea what they're doing. I'm a bit peeved about spending somewhere near $600 to get a solution here - I would prefer to spend less but I don't know if these other solutions will work as well. The other concern I have is I need a physical volume adjustment knob. I will be putting this device right on my desk and need the ability to quickly switch output sources and their respective volume. I'd love to be able to have independent volume controls for multiple outputs at the same time but I'd be willing to give that up.
I won't get into how I acquired these things over time or the decisions that lead to them... Is what it is...
Current speakers:
- 2xYamaha HS80M, 1xYamaha HS10W (XLR and TRS in - but they accept TS too apparently)
Current headphones:
- Sennheiser HD558... but going to likely get the HD6XX soon because the pads on the HD558 are falling apart and I wanted to try something new.
Current devices:
- LG B7 (optical out)
- Windows desktop computer with noisy USB (has a special "DAC" port though - somewhat less noisy)
Current DAC+AMP combo:
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st gen?)
I also have a Heil PR40 microphone that I use with that Scarlett but I think it's a bad pairing since the Heil PR40 basically only works with the gain turned to 95%+. Thus, I'm thinking of replacing the Scarlett.
Problems that I've been encountering: With the microphone, Scarlett doesn't have enough gain or the right range of gain or something (there's like 1mm of play at the very end I can do between you can hear me and it clipping to infinity). With the speakers, depending on the day and whatever else - the Scarlett can really produce a lot of noise on my speakers. A lot. If my graphics card is fired up, there is likely some background noise going through the speakers. If I use the wrong USB port for the Scarlett, I can hear my mouse move. Doesn't happen on the headphone port at all though.
So, lots of nonsense. I've dealt with this nonsense for about 7 years and it's been painful. I'd like to solve the noise issue permanently, connect the tv to the speakers better (currently using this cheap optical to RCA converter to then 1/4" but the sound level is pretty low and not adjustable), and then be able to power the headphones... The headphones are the breaking point for this setup as I don't think they'd work with the Scarlett.
Started going down quite the rabbit hole with all of this. Eventually found the Schiit products and thought maybe that'd work with some rca to ts. (Schiit stack + sys) Didn't really like the idea of the setup or relying on USB power or having a bunch of wall warts (I'm just a bit tweaked on USB power, obviously). Saw the Topping DX7 Pro ... thinking maybe that's the way to go?
Thinking:
- Computer does USB to Topping DX7 Pro
- TV does optical to Topping DX7 Pro
- Topping DX7 Pro does XLR out straight to my subwoofer -> speakers
- Topping DX7 Pro does 1/4 out to HD6XX or whatever
Any thoughts? I know this is a weird ramble that's probably typical of first time posters here who have no idea what they're doing. I'm a bit peeved about spending somewhere near $600 to get a solution here - I would prefer to spend less but I don't know if these other solutions will work as well. The other concern I have is I need a physical volume adjustment knob. I will be putting this device right on my desk and need the ability to quickly switch output sources and their respective volume. I'd love to be able to have independent volume controls for multiple outputs at the same time but I'd be willing to give that up.