Need DAC/External Audio Card

2010-08-17 18:07:34

#1

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

Since this keeps getting buried in open thread, I'll make my own.

I got a pair of KRK Rokit RP5G2s not too long ago, and need either a DAC or external audio card to use with them. Using a 3.5mm to RCA connector is functional, but whenever I use an AC adapter in my laptop, it screeches out terrible noise and there's really no way around that.

I have a pair of XLR cables so a DAC/Card with those connections are preferred.

First off, what's the difference? I've done a bit of searching but found nothing of substance. I'd only be using it for an audio-out to my monitors.

I'm not looking to spend a lot. < $100 would be ideal, even less would be great. Obviously needs to be self-powered.

<3

bevo

Last edited by Bevo (2010-08-17 18:11:44)

2010-08-17 18:13:40

#2

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|6046|Catherine Black

bump

(I have no idea, but you need the attention).

2010-08-17 18:24:22

#3

Gooners: Wiki Contributor; +2,700|6890

bump, i also need this information LoL

2010-08-17 18:29:16

#4

alexb: <3; +590|6198|Kentucky, USA

Afaik, the only advantage of XLR to RCA is that it is better with hum reduction, but that shouldn't be a problem if you're in an EMI crazy location.

I'll do some looking around in a bit, once I'm done with dinner.

2010-08-17 18:49:42

#5

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

alexb wrote:
Afaik, the only advantage of XLR to RCA is that it is better with hum reduction, but that shouldn't be a problem if you're in an EMI crazy location.

I'll do some looking around in a bit, once I'm done with dinner.

RCA is unbalanced, XLR is balanced... from the little i've read, it should reduce the "hum" due to the balanced-ness?

Also: considering a USB powered cheap-ass DAC if I can run itunes off my desktop. I'd have to transfer my music every now and again from my laptop but not a terribly big deal, and potentially a big money saver?

Alex - that new card you got - would I be able to run my RCA connectors straight out of there with no buzzing (or a 3.5mm)? Can I separate my itunes output to simply that card and keep all other output to my headset?

Last edited by Bevo (2010-08-17 18:54:19)

2010-08-17 18:54:01

#6

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7030|PNW

This would be a good question for a specifically audiophile-related forum.

2010-08-17 18:55:15

#7

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

unnamednewbie13 wrote:
This would be a good question for a specifically audiophile-related forum.

There's enough snobbery going on here for me - I'd be sure to get "<$100 LOL" all over the place there.

2010-08-17 19:25:37

#8

alexb: <3; +590|6198|Kentucky, USA

This has 1/4" connections, but it should work if you get a converter.
I couldn't find any with XLR outputs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6829180006

Last edited by alexb (2010-08-17 19:33:10)

2010-08-17 19:47:28

#9

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

alexb wrote:
This has 1/4" connections, but it should work if you get a converter.
I couldn't find any with XLR outputs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6829180006

If it runs off of USB power, will it still get the same interference from the laptop AC power?

2010-08-17 19:50:26

#10

alexb: <3; +590|6198|Kentucky, USA

Bevo wrote:
alexb wrote:
This has 1/4" connections, but it should work if you get a converter.
I couldn't find any with XLR outputs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6829180006
If it runs off of USB power, will it still get the same interference from the laptop AC power?

That's a damn good question... I'm not sure, I'll try to do some research, but this question may be for freezer.

2010-08-17 20:23:18

#11

Canin: Conservative Roman Catholic; +280|6733|Foothills of S. Carolina

Bevo, do you have a DC car adapter for your laptop? Per the link below, you can use an inverter and a car adapter to get rid of the noise. I think thats how I understood that.

edit: Found this link, thought it might be helpful - http://ask.metafilter.com/20028/Laptop-Audio-Hum

edit edit: This link may help too http://www.audiomastersforum.net/amforu … 168.0.html

Last edited by Canin (2010-08-17 20:32:32)

2010-08-17 20:46:51

#12

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

Canin wrote:
Bevo, do you have a DC car adapter for your laptop? Per the link below, you can use an inverter and a car adapter to get rid of the noise. I think thats how I understood that.

edit: Found this link, thought it might be helpful - http://ask.metafilter.com/20028/Laptop-Audio-Hum

edit edit: This link may help too http://www.audiomastersforum.net/amforu … 168.0.html

I do not, thanks for the help though.

2010-08-17 20:51:59

#13

Canin: Conservative Roman Catholic; +280|6733|Foothills of S. Carolina

The links have other ways to get rid of the noise too, but from what I read on it, its not an easy fix

2010-08-17 21:11:45

#14

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

Canin wrote:
The links have other ways to get rid of the noise too, but from what I read on it, its not an easy fix

The hum is not a problem (though audible, not terrible). What I'm hearing is "noise" and it's ear-piercing. I'd really like to know if a simple usb like the one alex posted will kill said noise.

Semi-related: If I were to use that device on my desktop, is there anyway to tell itunes or FF to output audio to the USB device and have everything else come through my headset?

2010-08-17 21:12:13

#15

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6455|Winland

A car adapter won't help. As I've understood it, Bevo isn't getting a grounding problem (a constant 120Hz hum), but rather, a hissing/scratching noise. That noise is caused by bad filtering of the power in the laptop, and pretty much no standard laptop charger will help it, since they all produce quite a bit of noise.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2010-08-17 21:13:45

#16

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

Freezer7Pro wrote:
A car adapter won't help. As I've understood it, Bevo isn't getting a grounding problem (a constant 120Hz hum), but rather, a hissing/scratching noise. That noise is caused by bad filtering of the power in the laptop, and pretty much no standard laptop charger will help it, since they all produce quite a bit of noise.

Yes, the hissing/scratching/noise noise.

Would a USB device like the one alex posted stop said noise? Also, question above about outputs.

ed: I am getting a hum, but it's much more tolerable than said "hissing". Getting rid of both at once would be superb.

Last edited by Bevo (2010-08-17 21:14:55)

2010-08-17 21:30:32

#17

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6455|Winland

Bevo wrote:
Freezer7Pro wrote:
A car adapter won't help. As I've understood it, Bevo isn't getting a grounding problem (a constant 120Hz hum), but rather, a hissing/scratching noise. That noise is caused by bad filtering of the power in the laptop, and pretty much no standard laptop charger will help it, since they all produce quite a bit of noise.
Yes, the hissing/scratching/noise noise.

Would a USB device like the one alex posted stop said noise? Also, question above about outputs.

ed: I am getting a hum, but it's much more tolerable than said "hissing". Getting rid of both at once would be superb.

I don't think that USB thingy would do much good, since it too is powered by the computer. If it's very well-built, it could have enough filters on the power input to suppress the noise, but for $25, I wouldn't count on it.

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2010-08-18 06:28:21

#18

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6711|The Twilight Zone

Bevo hum is a grounding issue. You need to connect your PC, monitor, speakers and DAC to the same power strip.

Regarding the DAC for <100$ you won't get any good balanced solution except for the EMU 0202 USB or something used. The new uDac2 will be out soon or is already. It costs 129$ if that's too much you can get uDac(1) for around <100$. Its not balanced but offers another digital output so its basically an USB>spdif converter. Has also a headphone output and its USB so very convenient for laptops as well.

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2010-08-18 09:36:32

#19

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

.Sup wrote:
Bevo hum is a grounding issue. You need to connect your PC, monitor, speakers and DAC to the same power strip.

Regarding the DAC for <100$ you won't get any good balanced solution except for the EMU 0202 USB or something used. The new uDac2 will be out soon or is already. It costs 129$ if that's too much you can get uDac(1) for around <100$. Its not balanced but offers another digital output so its basically an USB>spdif converter. Has also a headphone output and its USB so very convenient for laptops as well.

Re: EMU 0202

If it's not self powered won't I run into this noise issue again? Also, I'd have to buy yet another set of cables, TRS it seems.

Last edited by Bevo (2010-08-18 09:36:51)

2010-08-18 09:46:39

#20

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6711|The Twilight Zone

Self powered as in batter powered? Do as I told you and you won't have any hum any more. Unless of you're experiencing hiss. That's a whole another problem.

2010-08-18 10:00:02

#21

menzo: ̏̏̏̏̏̏̏̏&#; +616|6704|Amsterdam‫

i think the hissing/scratching/noise noise is what is bothering him

https://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee37/menzo2003/fredbf2.png

2010-08-18 10:16:01

#22

Bevo: Nah; +718|6779|Austin, Texas

menzo wrote:
i think the hissing/scratching/noise noise is what is bothering him

This one. Read the rest of the thread

2010-08-18 10:36:50

#23

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6711|The Twilight Zone

Do you get the noise only from the laptop or from a desktop PC too?

2010-08-18 10:47:08

#24

Morpheus: This shit still going?; +508|6257|The Mitten

.Sup wrote:
Do you get the noise only from the laptop or from a desktop PC too?

I think we said it was the laptop power adapter?
I know mine is pretty bad... although, come to think of it, I don't have any noise right now....
Hmm, i wonder if it's related to the ground? Right now I've got my adapter on a ground lift (actually a 2-prong to 3-prong[ib4euros])...
Bevo, is your adapter a grounded or ungrounded type? If it has a ground prong, try the adapter. You've probably got one around somewhere....

EE (hats

2010-08-18 10:49:59

#25

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6711|The Twilight Zone

Morpheus wrote:
.Sup wrote:
Do you get the noise only from the laptop or from a desktop PC too?
I think we said it was the laptop power adapter?
I know mine is pretty bad... although, come to think of it, I don't have any noise right now....
Hmm, i wonder if it's related to the ground? Right now I've got my adapter on a ground lift (actually a 2-prong to 3-prong[ib4euros])...
Bevo, is your adapter a grounded or ungrounded type? If it has a ground prong, try the adapter. You've probably got one around somewhere....

No, the cheating adaptors that remove the ground are unsafe, I don't recommend that. Bevo unplug the PSU from the laptop and report back if you still have issues. It could be the interference within the lappy. Its possible its just the laptop's soundcard being shit.

BF2S Forums Need DAC/External Audio Card

alexb wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

alexb wrote:

Bevo wrote:

alexb wrote:

Canin wrote:

Canin wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

Bevo wrote:

Freezer7Pro wrote:

.Sup wrote:

menzo wrote:

.Sup wrote:

Morpheus wrote:

.Sup wrote:

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