Can i pair a cheap dongle DAC/AMP with my Magni 3?

[needswisdom]

Im new here and forgive me if this isn't posted into the right category...


context: i have saved a bit of cash and am investing it all into a good headphone setup for mixing and producing music. (Trap, RnB, Orchestral)

i picked Fiio JT7 to be the can of choice and found a used AMP for it, namely the Schiit Magni 3, for 40 dollars.

I can't really afford a real Desktop DAC... not even used, not after i just invested into the first two items.

I was told by many on the headphones.com discord that a cheap apple dongle or similar would do + a 3.5 to RCA to connect the DAC to the AMP. i asked The Honest Audiophile on youtube he also remarked that the setup is great and the cheap DAC wouldn't be any problem.

However, a couple members of the B-media discord basically explained to me how:

1. apple dongle won't do because its a DAC and has an AMP circuit, resulting in double amping which is not at all ideal.
   
   
   
2. Cheap dongles dont put out a true line level signal that the Magni's input allegedly requires...

The two points seem to make sense, and honestly i am not good at this niche audio equipment synergies and non-synergies. I hope someone with data and knowledge can advise me on how to move forward with my purchases and the setup.

(side note, i also found a used shanling ua2, also for 40 dollars but i dont believe it holds a candle to powering planars like magni does, although i am also not certain)

TIA.

 

[DVDdoug]

It should be fine!

apple dongle won't do because its a DAC and has an AMP circuit, resulting in double amping which is not at all ideal.

Nonsense. Line-level and headphone-level voltage are in the same ballpark but headphone outputs are capable of driving lower impedance (capable of more current).

Cheap dongles dont put out a true line level signal that the Magni's input allegedly requires...

Line level isn't calibrated in home setups so it varies but the Apple dongle can put-out consumer line-level and possibly pro line-level. Usually. the line-output is "hot" enough and inputs have enough gain so everything works together. And your headphone amp has up to 15dB of gain (about 5.5X) so it should be plenty loud enough!

 

[needswisdom]

It should be fine!


Nonsense. Line-level and headphone-level voltage are in the same ballpark but headphone outputs are capable of driving lower impedance (capable of more current).


Line level isn't calibrated in home setups so it varies but the Apple dongle can put-out consumer line-level and possibly pro line-level. Usually. the line-output is "hot" enough and inputs have enough gain so everything works together. And your headphone amp has up to 15dB of gain (about 5.5X) so it should be plenty loud enough!

what would The actual difference vs a “true DAC” be, where the dongle is replaced with a schiit modi or similar? In terms of audible sonic fidelity only, of course.

 

[DVDdoug]

what would The actual difference vs a “true DAC” be

I don't believe "true DAC" is defined... A separate DAC may, or may not, have a headphone output or it might have a volume control knob, remote control, or other features.

The DAC in an audio video receiver can decode all of the formats on DVDs & Blu-Rays, but if your source is a computer, the computer can do that too (but you'll only get the stereo down-mix from a regular stereo DAC or "dongle").

...I don't own a separate DAC but I have lots of stuff with a built-in DAC.