DAC volume vs headphone amp volume

[Loonair]

Hi everyone, I know this topic has been talked about a lot but I've never been able to understand too much about it. At the moment my setup consists of an Audient iD14 mkII (which I use as a DAC being mainly a musician) and a Topping NX7 headphone amp (connected to the line outputs and not to the audio interface headphone amp), which I use to drive my headphones, especially the Hifiman Sundara.

Using a headphone calibration software (Acustica Audio Sienna Reference) I pay close attention that the signal reaches the Audient digitally below the clipping threshold. However I would like to understand what is the best solution to obtain less harmonic distortion.

- Would it be more correct to keep the audio interface volume at 100% (or slightly below) and use the headphone amp knob?

- The Topping NX7 has a gain level switch on the back (low, medium and high corresponding to -13.8db, -0.1db and 13.9 dB). Is setting it to "medium" (maximum volume) or setting it to "high" (lower volume) and using the Audient knob to control the listening level that bad? Are there differences in THD between the two settings on the back of the Topping?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi everyone, I know this topic has been talked about a lot but I've never been able to understand too much about it. At the moment my setup consists of an Audient iD14 mkII (which I use as a DAC being mainly a musician) and a Topping NX7 headphone amp (connected to the line outputs and not to the audio interface headphone amp), which I use to drive my headphones, especially the Hifiman Sundara.

Using a headphone calibration software (Acustica Audio Sienna Reference) I pay close attention that the signal reaches the Audient digitally below the clipping threshold. However I would like to understand what is the best solution to obtain less harmonic distortion.

- Would it be more correct to keep the audio interface volume at 100% (or slightly below) and use the headphone amp knob?

- The Topping NX7 has a gain level switch on the back (low, medium and high corresponding to -13.8db, -0.1db and 13.9 dB). Is setting it to "medium" (maximum volume) or setting it to "high" (lower volume) and using the Audient knob to control the listening level that bad? Are there differences in THD between the two settings on the back of the Topping?

Thanks in advance.

Depends how much noise and HD the Audient has and how that varies with output level. If youre not getting hiss or obvious distortion I would keep doing as you are. Set the Topping gain to whichever gives you most control (too low for your headphones, you will only be using the last bit of the volume dial- gain too high only ever the early part of the dial)

Amir tested the ID4 (assume mk1) and it didnt look too bad as a DAC at 2v out, cant imagine reducing the output would improve HD massively so keep doing volume in the Topping.

 

[Loonair]

Depends how much noise and HD the Audient has and how that varies with output level. If youre not getting hiss or obvious distortion I would keep doing as you are. Set the Topping gain to whichever gives you most control (too low for your headphones, you will only be using the last bit of the volume dial- gain too high only ever the early part of the dial)

Amir tested the ID4 (assume mk1) and it didnt look too bad as a DAC at 2v out, cant imagine reducing the output would improve HD massively so keep doing volume in the Topping.

Thanks for the reply. I honestly still don't get the dB measurements of the 3 gain level settings of the NX7. Does that 13.9dB on the high setting mean the amp is adding clean gain to the signal? Is it just as transparent as the medium (-0,1db) setting?

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks for the reply. I honestly still don't get the dB measurements of the 3 gain level settings of the NX7. Does that 13.9dB on the high setting mean the amp is adding clean gain to the signal? Is it just as transparent as the medium (-0,1db) setting?

Higher gain brings higher noise floor. But given the passively low noise floor of most modern head amps, matters not in practical terms. Useful for either voltage hungry headphones or where you have a low power input device.

And yes, high gain amplifies the input signal by 13.9 dB. How clean depends on the device in question.

 

[Wiesellmakelaar]

I have a similar setup like you, just using a different head-amp which is the Topping L30 Mk. II. I personally would keep the audio interface knob at 100% because that isn't analog gain, rather digital gain. So think it as another stage of windows gain. Why 100%? Well it's for scaling. I personally couldn't hear any noise floor even at maxed high gain on the Topping L30 Mk II.