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The desktop setup needs an upgrade

Berwhale

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I prefer the single box solution that the EX5 offers (I used the D50s/A50s/P50 stack on my desk previously)...
  • Single integrated PSU. Only one power cable and no power bricks or wall warts.
  • No interconnect cables required (which can require a significant amount of space behind the stack).
  • One set of controls/remote.
  • I don't have to keep lining the Amp up with the DAC because it moved when I unplugged my headphones! (I tried various ways of sticking them together, none of them work very well or for long)
  • Integrated pre-amp functionality with independent volume memory. I don't have to unplug headphones to activate pre-out.
If I was to upgrade from the EX5, i'd be looking for an other DAC/Amp like the DX7 Pro+.
 
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crush

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I prefer the single box solution that the EX5 offers (I used the D50s/A50s/P50 stack on my desk previously)...
  • Single integrated PSU. Only one power cable and no power bricks or wall warts.
  • No interconnect cables required (which can require a significant amount of space behind the stack).
  • One set of controls/remote.
  • I don't have to keep lining the Amp up with the DAC because it moved when I unplugged my headphones! (I tried various ways of sticking them together, none of them work very well or for long)
  • Integrated pre-amp functionality with independent volume memory. I don't have to unplug headphones to activate pre-out.
If I was to upgrade from the EX5, i'd be looking for an other DAC/Amp like the DX7 Pro+.
Yeah you are kinda right about that. Actually after thinking about it and watching hours and hours of reviews I think I'm going for something cheaper. Since I never owned DACs, AMPs or combos, I think I won't see the real value of buying something that expensive. I've watching reviews for the topping dx3 pro plus, which has amazing reviews , and probably to start it should be enough for a while, it will power my current headphones and probably the future ones like sundaras/harmonic dyne zeus/ hd600/hd6xx/rodes, it can be set as a preamp I think, has bluetooth, big interface and remote to pair with the speakers. In a year or so if I feel I want to change I'll have something to compare it with without breaking the bank in the beginning. I'm going to still try to go to some audio stores in Lisbon to see what they got and try to test some stuff, but I think topping does not have an importer in Portugal.
 
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crush

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Instead of a DAC, I would also consider a little audio interface run into a headphone amp (L30 II, Magni Heresy etc.). That sort of setup would also provide balanced output for active monitors to your liking, plus at least one input for a Proper Microphone™ (including, possibly, the measurement variety). Running the headphone output into an external amp tends to be enough to salvage even some decidedly naff ones (Focusrite gen3 comes to mind). There is tons of choice between $99 and $200.

Your desk looks quite big enough to accommodate some 5" class monitors (RP5G4, MR524 etc., don't forget desk stands or at least the ubiquitous pads). Good 3"/3.5" class speakers will run you at least as much while being more compromised at the same time.
Right now I'm more set to get the iLoud micro with a topping dx3 pro plus which is about almost 500 euros. What would be your suggestions against that?
 

AnalogSteph

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KRK RP5 G4 - 2x 145,- to 149,-
(MR524 is currently out of stock at Thomann, but tends to be a little cheaper)
M-Audio AIR 192|4 -OR- Steinberg UR12 -OR- Arturia Minifuse 1 -OR- Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen -OR- Tascam UR-1x2HR -OR- EVO 4 -OR- UAA Volt 1 (94,- to 119,- on sale)
Topping L30 II (119,- to 149,-)
Cables - TRS --> XLR (2 pcs.), stereo 3.5 mm or 6.35 mm to 2x RCA (e.g. Cordial CFY 1,5 VCC à 11,50, 2x CFM 1,5 MV à 8,50)
About 560€ or so all in. Not-terrible 5" monitors start at 99,- a piece, but you can still justify up to twice that easily (e.g. ADAM T5V à 169,-).

Meanwhile, DX3 Pro+ is 169 and change, plus iLoud Micro 279,- at Thomann - so 450-ish total. (You could also buy EVE SC203 - mine cost 379, they've gone up since then - or Genelec 8010As (2x 299,-). Neither is particularly recommended unless you know exactly what you're doing.)

The iLouds can play very deep for speakers this small, but only at moderate volumes, and the DSP will start reducing the low end at higher levels. One guy who downgraded from HEDD Type 05 Mk2 to these (figuring that the HEDDs were overkill for mostly some gaming) was unpleasantly surprised by them starting to sound funny at the upper end of his normal volume range already - at least with music, while games were still fine. If you are a generally quiet listener, you probably won't have much to worry about, but 3" class speakers definitely do have their limits, simply due to physics. Bass output capability is invariably limited by surface area and displacement (which for a given level goes up with 1/f^4), and even the best 3" class driver will struggle to beat an average quality 5" job. In short, size matters.
 
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crush

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KRK RP5 G4 - 2x 145,- to 149,-
(MR524 is currently out of stock at Thomann, but tends to be a little cheaper)
M-Audio AIR 192|4 -OR- Steinberg UR12 -OR- Arturia Minifuse 1 -OR- Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen -OR- Tascam UR-1x2HR -OR- EVO 4 -OR- UAA Volt 1 (94,- to 119,- on sale)
Topping L30 II (119,- to 149,-)
Cables - TRS --> XLR (2 pcs.), stereo 3.5 mm or 6.35 mm to 2x RCA (e.g. Cordial CFY 1,5 VCC à 11,50, 2x CFM 1,5 MV à 8,50)
About 560€ or so all in. Not-terrible 5" monitors start at 99,- a piece, but you can still justify up to twice that easily (e.g. ADAM T5V à 169,-).

Meanwhile, DX3 Pro+ is 169 and change, plus iLoud Micro 279,- at Thomann - so 450-ish total. (You could also buy EVE SC203 - mine cost 379, they've gone up since then - or Genelec 8010As (2x 299,-). Neither is particularly recommended unless you know exactly what you're doing.)

The iLouds can play very deep for speakers this small, but only at moderate volumes, and the DSP will start reducing the low end at higher levels. One guy who downgraded from HEDD Type 05 Mk2 to these (figuring that the HEDDs were overkill for mostly some gaming) was unpleasantly surprised by them starting to sound funny at the upper end of his normal volume range already - at least with music, while games were still fine. If you are a generally quiet listener, you probably won't have much to worry about, but 3" class speakers definitely do have their limits, simply due to physics. Bass output capability is invariably limited by surface area and displacement (which for a given level goes up with 1/f^4), and even the best 3" class driver will struggle to beat an average quality 5" job. In short, size matters.
I ordered the ilouds for 250, and I'll be testing them when they come. My problem with the 5'' is that I don't really have a nice way to set them up, just with massive stands. I'm currently trying to get a Fiio K7 to try but I'm now having a look at this option with the audio interfaces. Wouldn't I also need a DAC in this setup?
 
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crush

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KRK RP5 G4 - 2x 145,- to 149,-
(MR524 is currently out of stock at Thomann, but tends to be a little cheaper)
M-Audio AIR 192|4 -OR- Steinberg UR12 -OR- Arturia Minifuse 1 -OR- Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen -OR- Tascam UR-1x2HR -OR- EVO 4 -OR- UAA Volt 1 (94,- to 119,- on sale)
Topping L30 II (119,- to 149,-)
Cables - TRS --> XLR (2 pcs.), stereo 3.5 mm or 6.35 mm to 2x RCA (e.g. Cordial CFY 1,5 VCC à 11,50, 2x CFM 1,5 MV à 8,50)
About 560€ or so all in. Not-terrible 5" monitors start at 99,- a piece, but you can still justify up to twice that easily (e.g. ADAM T5V à 169,-).

Meanwhile, DX3 Pro+ is 169 and change, plus iLoud Micro 279,- at Thomann - so 450-ish total. (You could also buy EVE SC203 - mine cost 379, they've gone up since then - or Genelec 8010As (2x 299,-). Neither is particularly recommended unless you know exactly what you're doing.)

The iLouds can play very deep for speakers this small, but only at moderate volumes, and the DSP will start reducing the low end at higher levels. One guy who downgraded from HEDD Type 05 Mk2 to these (figuring that the HEDDs were overkill for mostly some gaming) was unpleasantly surprised by them starting to sound funny at the upper end of his normal volume range already - at least with music, while games were still fine. If you are a generally quiet listener, you probably won't have much to worry about, but 3" class speakers definitely do have their limits, simply due to physics. Bass output capability is invariably limited by surface area and displacement (which for a given level goes up with 1/f^4), and even the best 3" class driver will struggle to beat an average quality 5" job. In short, size matters.
So front what I saw, I see that this setup is more focused on musicians, and I won't be recording any music. Right now I have a Samson Go Mic as my main microphone and does the job perfectly because I just use it for business calls and gaming, and it's tiny, which is perfect. Using an audio interface, I would go for the Volt 1 because I feel that would be closer to my needs, but still, I think that maybe that money could be wasted on a nice DAC. From what I'm thinking, the Amp would be controlling the volume of both monitors and headphones, so I wouldn't need the knobs on the AI, the only thing is that I could connect the microphone to that AI and have every audio equipment connected through a single USB to my pc. Or am I missing something?
 
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