DAC under 200€ for new newbies

[Basic Channel]

i dont use my focusrite to listen music on my amp. The focusrite output is a 3.5mm jack and 2x 6.5mm jack. I dont have a jack input on my amp and no jack to RCA cable. I dont want to spend into the acoustic of my room because in two year i go 3 year in canada school and i'm at home only the week end, it's not a priority now. When i create in the futur a dedicated room i do an acoustic treatment.
I agree with the fact that my speaker is trash but like i said i'm on it. I just need to calculate the self and the condensator.
24Bit is more precise and punchy

Would it not be easier to use the focusrite by buying a cheap cable?

I wasn’t saying that you need to do acoustic treatment, to echo (excuse the pun) what you said - why do you need a DAC now?

Precise in what way? Punch would a frequency thing (for me) and not related to bit depth. And how did you test the difference? On your current setup?

 

[kemmler3D]

Okay, that one of that question that I'm demanding, I see some SMSL and TOPPING have the same chip ( ES9038Q2M, AK4493S, ... ) and what's the difference between them ? And is there a real difference between one chip and two ?

The chips are basically the "core" of the DAC, they basically do the same thing with slightly different circuits, and both work very well. For audio, there will be no audible change between one or the other.

 

[antcollinet]

24Bit is more precise and punchy

No it isn't - at least not in the soundwaves reaching your ears. If you are hearing that it is being created in the grey matter between them.

 

[Charvel]

Would it not be easier to use the focusrite by buying a cheap cable?

I wasn’t saying that you need to do acoustic treatment, to echo (excuse the pun) what you said - why do you need a DAC now?

Precise in what way? Punch would a frequency thing (for me) and not related to bit depth. And how did you test the difference? On your current setup?

using jack 6.5mm to RCA ?

form me DAC and Audio interface are not the same thing. Audio interface is here to add input like 6.5 jack and XLR for register an signal. They added a tiny DAC to improve the internal DAC of a pc for a better listening experience. But Audio interface is not dedicated to the digital to analog conversion and they never go higher than 24/192kHz under 200€. The DAC chipset of the audio interface is not as good as DAC chip. And if it's ok, why everybody use a DAC instead of an audio interface ?

i tested it with the same music with two different files 16/44.1 and 24/96 . My brother play 5 time the song with the files he want and at the end of the music i have to say wich one it is. I do the test one my phone ( poco F3 ) basic dongle and my IEM ( truthear ZERO red ) and my PC with the focusrite and my IEM.
Everytime when the 24/96 are playing, i fell a beter sound stage, more aerate. More precise, the instrument dosen't lap on each other. I don't know with freqancy can do that.

 

[gwing]

You might like to also consider the Wiim pro plus, which not only has a very good DAC but also a good music streamer (and other stuff) as well.

 

[Charvel]

No it isn't - at least not in the soundwaves reaching your ears. If you are hearing that it is being created in the grey matter between them.

Wow, i'm a super hero !
i never hear this scientifique explanation. so in reality, the best format is the 16/44.1. the other is just bullshit if i follow you ?

 

[JeremyFife]

Hi,
Just use your Focusrite, the DAC is fine - you can do better in measurements but not audibly.

Save your money, and energy, for after you upgrade those speakers.

In the meantime, relax and enjoy the music

 

[Charvel]

You might like to also consider the Wiim pro plus, which not only has a very good DAC but also a good music streamer (and other stuff) as well.

I don't serch a player. I dont use streaming plateform. And 250€ is to expensive form me.

 

[Charvel]

Hi,
Just use your Focusrite, the DAC is fine - you can do better in measurements but not audibly.

Save your money, and energy, for after you upgrade those speakers.

In the meantime, relax and enjoy the music

what cable should i use ?

 

[JeremyFife]

what cable should i use ?

Anything that fits... I think the Focusrite has TRS output (6.35mm jack) and I assume your amp has RCA input ... so a TRS to RCA cable will be fine, just do an Amazon search

J&D Dual 1/4 inch TS to Dual RCA Stereo Audio Interconnect Cable, Gold Plated Copper Shell Heavy Duty 2X 6.35mm Male TS to 2 RCA Male Adapter Cable, 0,9 Meter https://amzn.eu/d/6YDl99v

 

[Charvel]

Tout ce qui convient... Je pense que le Focusrite a une sortie TRS (jack 6,35 mm) et je suppose que votre ampli a une entrée RCA... donc un câble TRS vers RCA fera l'affaire, faites simplement une recherche sur Amazon

okay, i've read the scarlet focusrtie 2i2 gen3 review but i dont undurtand all graph. Fortunatly some text his here to help but sometime he said something that keep me perplexed. If i've correctly understand some output are not terrible ?

 

[JeremyFife]

Don't overthink this. Your Focusrite is pretty good, just use it and stop worrying

When your life settles down, after school, and you have new speakers that you are happy with then come back to this.
Electronics don't really matter that much for hi-fi these days - speakers do, room treatment does and DSP/EQ does.

 

[Charvel]

Don't overthink this. Your Focusrite is pretty good, just use it and stop worrying

When your life settles down, after school, and you have new speakers that you are happy with then come back to this.
Electronics don't really matter that much for hi-fi these days - speakers do, room treatment does and DSP/EQ does.

yeah i think i'm a little bit to intressted and i want to test everything ... i have the time of my life? why i'm so hurry up ?
ive already hear about the DSP and EQ but i never really understand the principe and how to use it.

 

[Basic Channel]

using jack 6.5mm to RCA ?

form me DAC and Audio interface are not the same thing. Audio interface is here to add input like 6.5 jack and XLR for register an signal. They added a tiny DAC to improve the internal DAC of a pc for a better listening experience. But Audio interface is not dedicated to the digital to analog conversion and they never go higher than 24/192kHz under 200€. The DAC chipset of the audio interface is not as good as DAC chip. And if it's ok, why everybody use a DAC instead of an audio interface ?

i tested it with the same music with two different files 16/44.1 and 24/96 . My brother play 5 time the song with the files he want and at the end of the music i have to say wich one it is. I do the test one my phone ( poco F3 ) basic dongle and my IEM ( truthear ZERO red ) and my PC with the focusrite and my IEM.
Everytime when the 24/96 are playing, i fell a beter sound stage, more aerate. More precise, the instrument dosen't lap on each other. I don't know with freqancy can do that.

Using a cable, it makes no difference really. The DAC in your scarlett (however tiny you imagine) is way more transparent (better) than your grandparents old speakers could ever be, even in an anechoic chamber. Add to that your room and the DAC is a pointless (or at least peace of mind) last step. Get a subwoofer, you are 17!! Get 17 subwoofers!

 

[Charvel]

Using a cable, it makes no difference really. The DAC in your scarlett (however tiny you imagine) is way more transparent (better) than your grandparents old speakers could ever be, even in an anechoic chamber. Add to that your room and the DAC is a pointless (or at least peace of mind) last step. Get a subwoofer, you are 17!! Get 17 subwoofers!

yes i think i'm gonna start by that, just TSR to RCA cable.
I already have a sub, a Focal Access sb 25 a1. And an Straigh'in amp, yes i know this amp is a pur sh't but a friend have a Davis sub amp and he give it to me the next time he came. Actualy my system is wobly but with the time he get's better. Futurly a sub amp, fresh new pair of two way closed speaker and new source ( the focusrite ). The waiting always pay !

 

[antcollinet]

Wow, i'm a super hero !
i never hear this scientifique explanation. so in reality, the best format is the 16/44.1. the other is just bullshit if i follow you ?

Well what you described as hearing cannot be a result of a bit depth change.

The only impact of going from 16 bit to 24 bit is a reduction in the noise floor from "inaudible in real world listening" to "completely inaudible in all circumstances ever for everyone"

In other words, the only difference it can make is if you have super human hearing and can hear an audible hiss with 16 bits, that vanishes with 24bit. It certainly can't be "more precise and punchy", and if that is what you are actually hearing, it can only be from subconscious perceptive/cognitive biases altering what you hear based only on what you know you are listeing to, and what you (subconsciously) expect to be the result of that.

This is why I linked you to the blind testing video which explains some of this stuff.

 

[JeremyFife]

yeah i think i'm a little bit to intressted and i want to test everything ... i have the time of my life? why i'm so hurry up ?
ive already hear about the DSP and EQ but i never really understand the principe and how to use it.

Cool - read about DSP in relation to speaker and room interaction - it is absolutely the most important thing you can do to improve your sound.

The introduction is cheap - free software on your PC, but it goes deep.

If you are interested in good sound, this is where to spend time

 

[Charvel]

Well what you described as hearing cannot be a result of a bit depth change.

The only impact of going from 16 bit to 24 bit is a reduction in the noise floor from "inaudible in real world listening" to "completely inaudible in all circumstances ever for everyone"

In other words, the only difference it can make is if you have super human hearing and can hear an audible hiss with 16 bits, that vanishes with 24bit. It certainly can't be "more precise and punchy", and if that is what you are actually hearing, it can only be from subconscious perceptive/cognitive biases altering what you hear based only on what you know you are listeing to, and what you (subconsciously) expect to be the result of that.

This is why I linked you to the blind testing video which explains some of this stuff.

okay, i think i just have chance on the blind test that i made ( 4/5 ), i keep the video in the corner of my mind and i listening it when i have the time. Thanks

 

[Charvel]

Cool - read about DSP in relation to speaker and room interaction - it is absolutely the most important thing you can do to improve your sound.

The introduction is cheap - free software on your PC, but it goes deep.

If you are interested in good sound, this is where to spend time

okay. this can be interesting with the focusrite

 

[JeremyFife]

Oh, yeah - your next purchase should be a measurement microphone (UMIC-1 is the best option) and the free REW software to use it.

Start making measurements, start understanding what your system is doing 'in your room ' and start realising what you can do improve that.