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Desktop DAC/AMP Recommendation

urfaust

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Final word of warning for some perspective on Audio-GD performance: all the Audio-GD devices <$1k that I’ve seen measured have had worse performance than the worst-performing inbuilt laptop sound cards (Realtek, etc) that I’ve seen measured...
Are there Realtek measurements somewhere? i didn't see any around here, but maybe i missed it.
 
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john100a

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I would look at the SMSL AD 18, powers my desk speakers very well, has a headphone amp that will power your headphones and adds Bluetooth for other sources.

I have powered monitors, not passive.
 

andreasmaaan

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Are there Realtek measurements somewhere? i didn't see any around here, but maybe i missed it.

Nah, none on this website. But there are some here (and elsewhere I think; I recall seeing more in the past but couldn't when I googled again just now).
 

Sal1950

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john100a

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Not quite understanding the requirements here.
But a Emotiva DC-1 would seem to fit the bill, now out of production but available used.
When you plug the headphones in the line level shuts off. Volume levels remembered individually for 2 phones and the line.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...surement-and-review-of-emotiva-dc-1-dac.2306/

To have one unit that would serve as a pre-amp for my active monitors, headphone amplifier for my shp9500's, and a DAC, and to do all of these without having to disconnect anything, meaning that I can switch to the pre-amp (speakers) and the headphones with a flip of a switch.
 

xineis

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To have one unit that would serve as a pre-amp for my active monitors, headphone amplifier for my shp9500's, and a DAC, and to do all of these without having to disconnect anything, meaning that I can switch to the pre-amp (speakers) and the headphones with a flip of a switch.

One device that I know that does that is the Micca Origen(+/G2), which in turn has measured pretty much worse than anything else. The design is great though...
 

xineis

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To have one unit that would serve as a pre-amp for my active monitors, headphone amplifier for my shp9500's, and a DAC, and to do all of these without having to disconnect anything, meaning that I can switch to the pre-amp (speakers) and the headphones with a flip of a switch.

Actually, I get you. It is not feasible to adjust the volume on each speaker (volume control is on the back) and having a switch could actually saving you from potential disaster, i.e., putting the amp in high gain and turning the volume knob up, while the speakers are powered could possibly cause damage (depends on max RCA output level, of course).

The Origen that I recommended does everything right in terms of functionality, but was lacking acceptable performance at both DAC/Amp. Too bad Amir already tested 2 devices (and both were bad), as I would like to send mine just to check.

However, maybe you could try the OL Switcher, as other people have recommended. Then you could even send a signal from your phone as a 2nd source and choose which one goes to the speakers.
 
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john100a

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Actually, I get you. It is not feasible to adjust the volume on each speaker (volume control is on the back) and having a switch could actually saving you from potential disaster, i.e., putting the amp in high gain and turning the volume knob up, while the speakers are powered could possibly cause damage (depends on max RCA output level, of course).

The Origen that I recommended does everything right in terms of functionality, but was lacking acceptable performance at both DAC/Amp. Too bad Amir already tested 2 devices (and both were bad), as I would like to send mine just to check.

However, maybe you could try the OL Switcher, as other people have recommended. Then you could even send a signal from your phone as a 2nd source and choose which one goes to the speakers.

I don't really like a seperate switch on my desktop specifically for that. I just wish that the audio-gd stuff was better because they have the nfb11.38/r2r11 which have the perfect switches on the front (headphone, fixed, pre)
 

joeinabox

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To be honest the NFB11.28/ NFB 11.38 is EXACTLY what im looking for.. but the lack of support/good measurements kinda scares me a little to drop $500+
I went with the NFB 11.38 and never looked back. I highly, highly recommend the NFB 11 series and Audio-GD as a company. Contrary to what I've read here, the NFB11.38 does not colour the sound, the R2R11 does but not the 11.38... IMHO. Apart from a couple niche communities like this one and “super audio bff”, if you weight the positive v. the negative comments and reviews, you’d come to the obvious conclusion, that the Audio-GD product line doesn’t deserve the level of relentless bashing. But that’s my opinion. There are other good options out there but quality/performance/cost ratio of the NFB11 is hard to beat.
 
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joeinabox

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Final word of warning for some perspective on Audio-GD performance: all the Audio-GD devices <$1k that I’ve seen measured have had worse performance than the worst-performing inbuilt laptop sound cards (Realtek, etc) that I’ve seen measured...
A laptop soundcard... really? If that's your unbiased conclusion based on your measurments analysis, then I suggest you get a professional to look at your measuring stick, there's something wrong with it. But I know, I know, this is one of those couple communities that wasn't picked for the dodgeball team by Audio-GD and that scar hasn't stopped stinging
 

andreasmaaan

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A laptop soundcard... really? If that's your unbiased conclusion based on your measurments analysis, then I suggest you get a professional to look at your measuring stick, there's something wrong with it. But I know, I know, this is one of those couple communities that wasn't picked for the dodgeball team by Audio-GD and that scar hasn't stopped stinging

I'm not expressing a personal preference or affiliation here, in fact I've owned two Audio-GD products in my time and one of them was my favourite DAC for a number of years (the other was the worst-sounding DAC I've ever heard).

I'm expressing a statement of fact here, which has nothing to do with anything I've heard: of all the sub-$1k Audio-GD units I've seen independent measurements of, the objective performance was awful.

I haven't seen your NFB 11.38 measured, perhaps it performs fine.
 

andreasmaaan

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PS @joeinabox, when you say there’s something wrong with the measurement stick, do you mean that the wrong measurements are being taken, or that the systems on which the measurements were taken were broken?
 
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