Digital bridge with DAC and headphone amp: does it exist?

[Nikolas]

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for the missing piece of my config and I kindly ask for your help:

My situation

Source A: a laptop with USB and HDMI
Source B: a TV with 4 HDMIs (one supporting eARC)

--- single missing piece ---

Out 1: headphones with 3.5 mm TRRS jack
Out 2: active loudspeakers with digital coaxial in

I clearly want to use any combination of source and out, so the missing piece should have (at least) both USB and optical input, and (at least) both a digital coax out as well as an integrated DAC feeding an headphone amp (losing the mic function of the headphones is acceptable, but bonus point if I can keep it). Huge huge plus if it ships with a remote too.
There's one device which, I'm basically totally sure, ticks all the boxes, and it is the miniDSP SHD Studio. However I'd like to know if there are other possibilities, mostly because I'm not completely sure I want or need to factor room correction in my setup, and this takes up a good part of the SHD value (aka €€€s).

 

[Patrick1958]

Topping DX7s (with remote)

 

[Jimbob54]

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for the missing piece of my config and I kindly ask for your help:

My situation

Source A: a laptop with USB and HDMI
Source B: a TV with 4 HDMIs (one supporting eARC)

--- single missing piece ---

Out 1: headphones with 3.5 mm TRRS jack
Out 2: active loudspeakers with digital coaxial in

I clearly want to use any combination of source and out, so the missing piece should have (at least) both USB and optical input, and (at least) both a digital coax out as well as an integrated DAC feeding an headphone amp (losing the mic function of the headphones is acceptable, but bonus point if I can keep it). Huge huge plus if it ships with a remote too.
There's one device which, I'm basically totally sure, ticks all the boxes, and it is the miniDSP SHD Studio. However I'd like to know if there are other possibilities, mostly because I'm not completely sure I want or need to factor room correction in my setup, and this takes up a good part of the SHD value (aka €€€s).

So the TV has optical out into the missing piece? Or HDMI?

 

[Nikolas]

So the TV has optical out into the missing piece? Or HDMI?

I can choose any. I'd prefer optical because going with HDMI I think the possibilities are far less.

 

[Jimbob54]

I can choose any. I'd prefer optical because going with HDMI I think the possibilities are far less.

Looks like @Patrick1958 nailed the brief, above then. Just take care when looking at the specs that the digital outputs work for all inputs. I've had a dac recently where the digi coax out only works for the USB input.

No Idea what the topping does.

 

[Nikolas]

Looks like @Patrick1958 nailed the brief, above then. Just take care when looking at the specs that the digital outputs work for all inputs. I've had a dac recently where the digi coax out only works for the USB input.

No Idea what the topping does.

Yep, looks like the Topping does the same... gotta look for the manual.

EDIT: from the manual, COAX output (only available when there's a USB input)

Back to square one

 

[Colonel Bogey]

Too bad the Topping DX7s doesnt have a AES digital out. That would solve my integration problem - I only listen to USB sources, either using earphones or with a pair of Genelecs with digital AES inputs. I know of no box that combines USB/DAC/Headphone out with USB/AES conversion. That probably does not exist.

 

[Nikolas]

Too bad the Topping DX7s doesnt have a AES digital out. That would solve my integration problem - I only listen to USB sources, either using earphones or with a pair of Genelecs with digital AES inputs. I know of no box that combines USB/DAC/Headphone out with USB/AES conversion. That probably does not exist.

The miniDSP SHD Studio does all that but, again, looks like overkill...

 

[Patrick1958]

Too bad the Topping DX7s doesnt have a AES digital out. That would solve my integration problem - I only listen to USB sources, either using earphones or with a pair of Genelecs with digital AES inputs. I know of no box that combines USB/DAC/Headphone out with USB/AES conversion. That probably does not exist.

Neutrik converter.

 

[randy777]

Too bad the Topping DX7s doesnt have a AES digital out. That would solve my integration problem - I only listen to USB sources, either using earphones or with a pair of Genelecs with digital AES inputs. I know of no box that combines USB/DAC/Headphone out with USB/AES conversion. That probably does not exist.

I'm looking for the same and also need AES digital output to a pair of Genelec 8341s. I've been looking at the minidsp SHD Studio as well and it seems the RME ADI-2 PRO FS may also tick all your boxes?

 

[Nikolas]

It does indeed. And, pricewise, it's comparable, at 1300 €. It certainly has a bunch of pro features to compensate the lack of RC, but I wish it was just simpler and thus cheaper instead.

 

[Patrick1958]

With the Lake People DAT RS 05 Digital Audio Translator you can feed AES digital devices and at the same time a dac via another of it's outputs. Bit pricey.

 

[Nikolas]

I might buy an Emotiva XMC-2 as well, https://emotiva.com/products/xmc-2 !
It has USB in, optical in, HDMI in, and coax out. Plus headphones! Maybe audio processor is the name of what I'm looking for...

 

[Nikolas]

Found an alternative! https://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/product/hdacc-ii-4k/

 

[svenz]

This is my exact use case as well. But I can't really justify spending 1000+ for an all in one device with more features than I need.

The closest thing I've found is SONCOZ LA-QXD1, which at least gives you USB to a headphone amp via XLR analogue, as well as coax out to the speakers. All for $200. Then a cheapy tendak $16 optical<->coax converter is what I have for connecting the TV output directly to the speakers, but it requires me to manually swap the coax from DAC to tendak which is a huge pain. But not as painful as spending 1000+ to combine a $16 and $200 unit into one .

Hopefully one day we get an affordable dac with full digital passthrough... the dream.

 

[Jimbob54]

This is my exact use case as well. But I can't really justify spending 1000+ for an all in one device with more features than I need.

The closest thing I've found is SONCOZ LA-QXD1, which at least gives you USB to a headphone amp via XLR analogue, as well as coax out to the speakers. All for $200. Then a cheapy tendak $16 optical<->coax converter is what I have for connecting the TV output directly to the speakers, but it requires me to manually swap the coax from DAC to tendak which is a huge pain. But not as painful as spending 1000+ to combine a $16 and $200 unit into one .

Hopefully one day we get an affordable dac with full digital passthrough... the dream.

Does the Topping D10S not do the same, albeit with RCA out to amp rather than XLR- coax and optical outputs from USB input.

 

[svenz]

Yes Topping D10 is a great device. I need optical in though for my headphones from the TV otherwise I'd just use the Topping probably.