Looking for DAC + amp/speaker advice

[Ulfar]

Hi all,

I’m moving my setup into a home-office (~4 × 3.5 m) and my current Logitech Z906 (5.1) is too big for the space. I want a cleaner 2.0 setup focused on music listening (mainly from my PC: Spotify, SoundCloud).

What I’m looking for

• DAC requirements: USB-C input, RCA output, and Bluetooth.
• Speakers I’m considering: Kanto YU Passive (4") or Micca RB42.
• Amp candidates: Fosi Audio ZA3, Fosi V3.
• Budget: Ideally under €350 for the whole chain (DAC + amp + speakers), but I can go higher if the improvement is significant.

Are standalone DAC + separate amp + passive speakers likely to give a noticeably better result than an all-in-one system (e.g. Edifier M60, Kanto Ora)? Any specific DAC recommendations that match my inputs, or better amp/speaker pairings in this price range?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Keith_W]

For a home office, I would forget the DAC and amp and get an active speaker instead, especially for a budget as tight as that. I would get an Adam T5V and use a PC as a source, assuming you have a PC in your home office. Your PC may or may not have Bluetooth, and you may not want to power up your PC every time you listen to music. If so, you could consider adding a Wiim Mini to the system.

That Adam T5V is the cheapest speaker I would reasonably consider. Its price is in between the two speakers you mention, but it has better bass extension.

 

[l_lama]

If you can put your desk in the middles and allow something like triangle with 2m side — yeah, it is worth considering many options.
If it is more like desktop speakers — near-field monitors is good options. I have Adam T5V for few years — sure, more bass will be appreciated, which is clear for 5" speakers in compact case. I use MOTU M2 as DAC, but not you can probably have something else with stronger headphone amp from China brands.

 

[xbitwise]

Are standalone DAC + separate amp + passive speakers likely to give a noticeably better result than an all-in-one system (e.g. Edifier M60, Kanto Ora)? Any specific DAC recommendations that match my inputs, or better amp/speaker pairings in this price range?

Thanks in advance!

I can recommend Kanto Ora 4. I needed a temporary solution when moving to a new location. Something small and simple but good enough. The little Ora 4 really surprised me - very good bass and soundstage for its size. I was not disappointed. I think it is unlikely that you will get better results with separates in your budget.
From the other side, separates give simpler upgrade path and flexibility in future. So simplicity vs flexibility.