• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Cheap ADC for headset

jesh

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
9
Likes
2
I recently downsized my whole PC setup. I now have a job where I travel a lot.
I'm trying to sell my old stack and headphones.
There are some decent amp+DAC combos now, and I wanted to try one. However, my ModMic uses a TRS connector. If I want an amp+DAC that also has a headphone section, that really limits my options. The best ones I have seen seem to be the Schiit Hel 2 and the Mayflower ARC MK2.
If I could find a cheap and decent ADC to turn the TRS into USB, that would really open up my options. Does anyone have ideas?
 

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,494
Turn TRS into USB? How when one is analogue connection, while the other is digital? Or do yoy just mean an ADC in general? Motu seem to be on a roll with their M2 and M4. Or you can give the Hel 2 a shot, seems pretty decent judging by their specs.
 
OP
J

jesh

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
9
Likes
2
I mean like on Amazon there are a ton of small USB powered devices that take a headphone and mic input. If I knew what chip to look for, I could probably find a decent one for my ModMic. Maybe.
Otherwise, I feel could spend a lot of time and money trying to find something that makes my mic sound as good as just plugging it into my built-in soundcard.
Then I could get a nicer device than the Hel 2, because I wouldn't be worried about having a decent ADC section for my mic.
 

AnalogSteph

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
3,338
Likes
3,278
Location
.de
I mean like on Amazon there are a ton of small USB powered devices that take a headphone and mic input. If I knew what chip to look for, I could probably find a decent one for my ModMic. Maybe.
Yeah, it's always a bit of a crapshoot with these. But JFTR, Antlion are selling a USB soundcard as an accessory for the princely sum of $9.95 that they claim
[...] is the clearest audio adapter in its class for wired 3.5mm microphones. This small device supplies stereo output for headphones and an enhanced mic input that removes the majority of unwanted background noise and boosts mic volume.
Might be worth a shot?

You see, making a decent consumer mic input is neither super hard nor super expensive. The most important part is getting a clean bias voltage, which usually means you want to generate it externally with a few passives.
 
OP
J

jesh

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
9
Likes
2
I saw that and read reviews. That particular product seems like a bust. 2.93V instead of 5V and lots of complaints about noise.
Plugging the mic into my motherboard is not bad. There is more compression than I like, but it has a low noise floor and gets plenty loud. I listened to a clip of the Hel 2 on a cheap mic, and it sounds fantastic. (Hardware Canucks)
 

b7676

Active Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
145
Likes
86
Creative labs sound blaster seem to have the most products doing 3.5mm in. Probably using similar realtek chips.
sennheiser/epos have a little box.
usb mics seem to be the thing at the price points skipping XLR.
Otherwise there are the tascam type field recording devices.
If any of the popular designers here had a HEL equivalent it would have saved me a lot of reading.
Another guy asked similarly and the motu type box was the lowest recommended adac.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom