DAC w/ volume knob and headphone out

[iGPR3]

I’m looking for a USB DAC for my LSR305 studio monitors and Philips X2HR headphones. I really don’t need loads of power, because the X2s are only 32ohm. Just something with volume control, 2x XLR/6.35mm for my monitors, and a 6.35mm out for my headphones.

The Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen seems like a good budget option at only £75, are there any other options I should consider under £100? Thanks.

 

[sanel]

smsl dl100

 

[AnalogSteph]

I don't think I would recommend driving anything low-impedance that isn't as sensitive as in-ears with a 3rd gen Scarlett headphone out. The lone NJM8065 they used is not a happy camper with loads like that.

Yes, that means that your idea of what is or isn't easy to drive is most likely inaccurate. Low impedance only means easy to drive if your primary limitation is output voltage, and then there still is the whole matter of basic driver sensitivity (nobody would consider average planars easy to drive despite the fact that they're mostly in the 18-50 ohm range). It actually is harder on the output stage which needs to be able to deliver correspondingly more current.

A 3rd-gen Scarlett would be a lot happier with 300 ohm HD600s or 150-ohm HD560S' than your X2HR overall. There's cheaper interfaces that are less bothered by low-impedance loads, like the £63 Presonus Audiobox GO (see @Julian Krause's measurements). I can also drag out my £55 Swissonic UA-2x2 and attempt to perform some measurements if you want (I think it involved 4580s but I'm not sure whether just one or two per channel or what output impedance was like). There should still be a sacrificial pair of 32 ohm headphones and a Y cable around here somewhere...
EDIT: D'oh, I just remembered that my stupid multimeter battery is dead and I hadn't gotten around to buying some new 9 V blocks, and today's a holiday...

 

[iGPR3]

I don't think I would recommend driving anything low-impedance that isn't as sensitive as in-ears with a 3rd gen Scarlett headphone out. The lone NJM8065 they used is not a happy camper with loads like that.

Yes, that means that your idea of what is or isn't easy to drive is most likely inaccurate. Low impedance only means easy to drive if your primary limitation is output voltage, and then there still is the whole matter of basic driver sensitivity (nobody would consider average planars easy to drive despite the fact that they're mostly in the 18-50 ohm range). It actually is harder on the output stage which needs to be able to deliver correspondingly more current.

A 3rd-gen Scarlett would be a lot happier with 300 ohm HD600s or 150-ohm HD560S' than your X2HR.

I haven’t actually bought the X2s but they’re the cheapest good open backs I’ve found for the price. They were on sale for £75 on amazon just a couple weeks ago and they’ll probably be down to that on black Friday. Are there other open back options you’d recommend under about £90, whether that be new or used?

And what would happen if I were to run the X2s on a Scarlett? Just lower volume or could it potentially damage the 2i2? Sorry, not familiar with headphones and this is gonna my first pair of decent cans.

Edit: Swissonic Audio 2 is exactly what I need, and I realised you’ve actually reviewed it. Any thoughts on that for £50?
Edit 2: Nevermind, I didn’t even realise you reviewed the UA2x2 and not the Audio 2. And no need to go through the trouble of testing it yourself, dont worry

 

[AnalogSteph]

And what would happen if I were to run the X2s on a Scarlett? Just lower volume or could it potentially damage the 2i2?

While damage is unlikely, things would potentially get distorted at a lower volume than you'd like. Taking the 3rd-gen 2i2 as an example, distortion gets concerning high at only 2-3 mW into 33 ohms:

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Mind you, around 1 mW would still be good for about 100 dB SPL on the X2HR, or if we're more conservative and going with 300 µW, 95 dB SPL. That would be adequate for me being a quieter than average listener, but in the grand scheme of things - with headphone amplifier performance being what it is today - it's still muy potato. You may well have an onboard output that does a lot better than that. Besides, headphone output common ground return resistance appears to be lackluster as Julian Krause found crosstalk not even reaching 40 dB with a 32 ohm load. This would make itself felt as kind of a stereo widening effect which tends to reduce bass impact (with bass generally being center-panned).

Also see edit above.

 

[staticV3]

Are there other open back options you’d recommend under about £90, whether that be new or used?

Hifiman HE400se

 

[iGPR3]

While damage is unlikely, things would potentially get distorted at a lower volume than you'd like. Taking the 3rd-gen 2i2 as an example, distortion gets concerning high at only 2-3 mW into 33 ohms:

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Mind you, around 1 mW would still be good for about 100 dB SPL on the X2HR, or if we're more conservative and going with 300 µW, 95 dB SPL. That would be adequate for me being a quieter than average listener, but in the grand scheme of things - with headphone amplifier performance being what it is today - it's still muy potato. You may well have an onboard output that does a lot better than that. Besides, headphone output common ground return resistance appears to be lackluster as Julian Krause found crosstalk not even reaching 40 dB with a 32 ohm load. This would make itself felt as kind of a stereo widening effect which tends to reduce bass impact (with bass generally being center-panned).

Also see edit above.

I would typically listen about 85-90dB so that’ll be fine for me, if I ever really wanna crank it I’ve got my studio monitors.

All I want really is just a physical volume knob, I much prefer it to using windows volume. And having that right alongside my monitors output volume is ideal.

Any opinions on the UMC202HD with 32ohm headphones?

 

[iGPR3]

Hifiman HE400se

They’re still 32ohm like the X2s, but I’ll have a look. Thanks

 

[staticV3]

They’re still 32ohm like the X2s, but I’ll have a look. Thanks

7dB less sensitive than the X2HR though, so plugged into the same Amp without changing the volume, they'll only play 60% as loud.

You'll have to turn up the Amp to compensate.

 

[AnalogSteph]

I would typically listen about 85-90dB so that’ll be fine for me, if I ever really wanna crank it I’ve got my studio monitors.

Peak, short-term maximum or average? Big difference.

Any opinions on the UMC202HD with 32ohm headphones?

Still meh but definitely better in both distortion and crosstalk. I suggest you watch one of @Julian Krause's interface review videos and study his ginormous table of headphone output performance.

I might take a punt on the B-stock EVO 4 at £78.

Hifiman HE400se

That definitely needs a stout headphone output. 28 ohms and 90 dB/mW.

 

[iGPR3]

Peak, short-term maximum or average? Big difference.

Still meh but definitely better in both distortion and crosstalk. I suggest you watch one of @Julian Krause's interface review videos and study his ginormous table of headphone output performance.

That definitely needs a stout headphone output.

Average 85, peaks up to 90db. Right where I won’t worry about damaging my ears in the long term.

I’ll have a look at Julian Krause’s videos. Thanks for your help dude!

 

[AnalogSteph]

Average 85, peaks up to 90db.

85 should give you a decent amount of headroom, 90 should still work out OK. I wouldn't want to use the region above roughly 1 mW (100 dB SPL with X2HR) for anything but brief peaks (drum hits and whatnot).

BTW, you don't have to work at levels as high as 85 dB average, not all the time anyway. Up to 20 dB less actually is not all that uncommon these days. While you will want to check that you haven't missed any defects and that it still sounds OK, a lot of listeners won't be blasting the end result either.

 

[iGPR3]

85 should give you a decent amount of headroom, 90 should still work out OK. I wouldn't want to use the region above roughly 1 mW (100 dB SPL with X2HR) for anything but brief peaks (drum hits and whatnot).

BTW, you don't have to work at levels as high as 85 dB average, not all the time anyway. Up to 20 dB less actually is not all that uncommon these days. While you will want to check that you haven't missed any defects and that it still sounds OK, a lot of listeners won't be blasting the end result either.

I think I’ve settled on the Arturia minifuse 1 and I’m gonna see how black friday pricing looks headphone wise. If the X2s are cheap enough then I might go for them. Otherwise the FiiO FT1 and the HD560S look like they might be worth saving my cash for instead of grabbing X2s. Boils down to pricing in the end, I can’t pick between them.

The minifuse puts out 150mW into 32ohm and 50mW into 150ohm, so they’ll get loud enough