DAC --> Fosi Audio V3 amp --> Speakers & Sub - Need Help/Advice

[garethccc]

Hi all,

As per the title, I have a FiiO K3 DAC connected to a Fosi Audio V3 amplifier (via line out), which is powering a pair of Q Acoustics 3030i's (using banana plugged speaker wire) and will soon have a Mirage FRX S8 powered subwoofer connected via pre-out (the volume knob of the amplifier has no effect on the pre-out, by the way, but more on this later).

I have been happily using this setup without the subwoofer for the past couple of weeks, using the volume knob on the amplifier for volume control (rather than the volume control on the DAC).

1. Are there reasons to use the volume knob on one device over the other?

2. Now that I will be adding the powered subwoofer to the mix, and the volume knob on the amplifier will have no effect on the subwoofer's output level, should I simply change to using the volume control on the DAC to control overall system volume?

3. If I use the DAC's volume knob to control system volume, I'm assuming I can set Windows 11's volume output to 100%, the amplifier's volume to max, finally adjusting the overall system volume from the DAC (once I've set an appropriate subwoofer output level via the volume adjuster on the sub)?

Is there a better way to control overall volume of the system that I'm overlooking? Is this the best set of connections to use for this hardware?

If I've explained all of this poorly and my questions make no sense please let me know and I'll rephrase

I really appreciate the help/advice!

For reference, the back of the sub looks like this:

 

[staticV3]

Hi @garethccc! Welcome to ASR.

1. Are there reasons to use the volume knob on one device over the other?

Not really.

2. Now that I will be adding the powered subwoofer to the mix, and the volume knob on the amplifier will have no effect on the subwoofer's output level, should I simply change to using the volume control on the DAC to control overall system volume?

Yes.

3. If I use the DAC's volume knob to control system volume, I'm assuming I can set Windows 11's volume output to 100%, the amplifier's volume to max, finally adjusting the overall system volume from the DAC (once I've set an appropriate subwoofer output level via the volume adjuster on the sub)?

I'd reduce the V3's volume a bit, so that even with your K3 and Windows set to Max, it's not deafeningly loud.
Use the V3 as a safety volume limiter basically.

Is there a better way to control overall volume of the system that I'm overlooking?

I don't think so.

Is this the best set of connections to use for this hardware?

Yes.

 

[garethccc]

Excellent, many thanks @staticV3!

Hi @garethccc! Welcome to ASR.


Not really.


Yes.


I'd reduce the V3's volume a bit, so that even with your K3 and Windows set to Max, it's not deafeningly loud.
Use the V3 as a safety volume limiter basically.


I don't think so.


Yes.