A good DAC/AMP combo under 150 dollars without wireless connectivity?

[Deleted member 58865]

I don't want bluetooth or any wireless connectivity. I have AIYIMA A07 TPA3251 amplifier connected to my mainboard line-out. This is kind of okay because my speakers are eltax monitor 3 which is not very sensitive to noise. I do not notice any hiss unless I crank up the amplifier volume beyond 12'o clock.

However, the channel balance at low volumes with AIYIMA A07 is not great. I want to set the volume below 9'o clock. Maybe, I can just fix the volume at 9'o clock and reduce volume digitally. This increases noise floor, though.

I'm just looking for a decent budget DAC/AMP combo for driving my speakers. It doesn't have to be excellent. It just needs to sound good enough and not have noticeable imbalance between channels.

I don't need a lot of power. My ears can't stand power because I'm close to speakers. But, good channel balance at low volumes and low noise are desired.

 

[staticV3]

here's a good place to start looking: https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/inte...rby=price&orderway=asc&id_category=6307&n=200
you can do Ctrl+F and type "Bluetooth", that way it's easy to see which ones to avoid.

Edit: I found some inexpensive Amps with USB input, but they all have Bluetooth built-in unfortunately.
Most of them have antennas that you can remove though.
SMSL A100
SMSL A300
SMSL SA300
Loxjie A30
Sabaj A4

 

[Deleted member 58865]

Maybe, I should look into attenuators because attenuators let me reduce volumes without turning the volume knob below 9'o clock.

Something like SMSL SA300 without bluetooth would be good enough for me.

 

[Deleted member 58865]

https://www.amazon.com/Harrison-Labs-Line-Level-Attenuator/dp/B0006N41B0

 

[Deleted member 58865]

I discovered that setting digital volume to -12db is similar to attaching a pair of 12db analogue RCA attenuators to my amplifier's RCA input.

I don't hear hiss with the volume knob at 9'o clock. So, I'd rather set the digital volume to -12db.

If hiss is audible through my computer's fan noise, then it's time to get a USB DAC and maybe also a pair of RCA attenuators.

 

[raif71]

There's the Fiio K5 Pro

 

[Deleted member 58865]

There's the Fiio K5 Pro

I ordered FiiO K5 Pro ESS. I'm going to use it as a headphone DAC/AMP combo. I wouldn't use it as a DAC for my speakers because it doesn't let me switch between headphones and speakers. I would want a separate DAC for my speakers.