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System Name | Kursah's Gaming Rig 2018 (2022 Upgrade) - Ryzen+ Edition | Gaming Laptop (Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 2022) |
---|---|
Processor | R7 5800X @ Stock | i7 12700H @ Stock |
Motherboard | Asus ROG Strix X370-F Gaming BIOS 6203| Legion 5i Pro NM-E231 |
Cooling | Noctua NH-U14S Push-Pull + NT-H1 | Stock Cooling |
Memory | TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32GB (2x16) DDR4 4000 @ 3600 18-20-20-42 1.35v | 32GB DDR5 4800 (2x16) |
Video Card(s) | Palit GeForce RTX 4070 JetStream 12GB | CPU-based Intel Iris XE + RTX 3070 8GB 150W |
Storage | 4TB SP UD90 NVME, 960GB SATA SSD, 2TB HDD | 1TB Samsung OEM NVME SSD + 4TB Crucial P3 Plus NVME SSD |
Display(s) | Acer 28" 4K VG280K x2 | 16" 2560x1600 built-in |
Case | Corsair 600C - Stock Fans on Low | Stock Metal/Plastic |
Audio Device(s) | Aune T1 mk1 > AKG K553 Pro + JVC HA-RX 700 (Equalizer APO + PeaceUI) | Bluetooth Earbuds (BX29) |
Power Supply | EVGA 750G2 Modular + APC Back-UPS Pro 1500 | 300W OEM (heavy use) or Lenovo Legion C135W GAN (light) |
Mouse | Logitech G502 | Logitech M330 |
Keyboard | HyperX Alloy Core RGB | Built in Keyboard (Lenovo laptop KB FTW) |
Software | Windows 11 Pro x64 | Windows 11 Home x64 |
Well, my favored until yesterday Dayton DTA100-a class-t amp bit the dust after almost 2 years of service. I am looking at many different options, and am also thinking about making some changes but am unsure.
At this point I have a FiiO E9 as my dedicated headphone amp and for that it's performed amazingly well. I do not have the E7 dac for it, as I just use the analogue outputs from my Auzen Forte card.
I am thinking I may just go with another dedicated speaker amp, but am wondering whether or not I should go digital. If I do, then really I would no longer need a sound card due to the digital signal being the same since no sound processing or conversion would happen in the PC correct?
I'm still unsure if digital is for me or not...and really my E9 sounds great through all my earbuds and headphones I don't want to get rid of it, but I am also wondering what I could do for a more all-in-one solution that would provide a good strong and clean signal to my headphones and speakers (with sub outputs as well so I don't have to run low-level inputs from the amp as as well).
I am thinking a receiver, but I don't really have the room on my desktop unless I get one that supports a monitor as I'm using a couple monitor stands from staples so I have room for my 2 workstations in one desk.
To keep things simple I may just go for another amp that has analogue inputs.
Another question, even though I've owned this sound card since 2009, I can't recall and I'm just about to head into Business class...haven't found if I can enable or use the sub output (orange) in 2.1 mode. I already have one splitter so I can use one signal to my HP amp and one to the speaker amp. I could use the pass-thru from the HP amp to the speaker amp...but then both need to be on. That bothered me. But then the wiring mess I created by wanting a headphone amp with volume control and then adding my hi-fi system really made headache lol!
Suggestions? My budget? $100. I can stretch it a little bit...I was going to recently downsize my rig to a m-atx. So if I could convert to digital and simplify things that'd be cool. But I really do like the EQ in the Creative Console, and really my Forte has been a champ of a card...even with drivers that were never truly fixed...I will say I've yet to hear the buzzing from the Win 8 drivers.
Sorry for the long post and spaced thoughts...as most of my research threads go I will hopefully post my findings and research on this topic as I get time to and I look forward to the suggestions of my fellow TPU'ers. Thanks all!
Brands I'm looking at for Class D/T amps:
SMSL SA-98E
SMSL SA-50
Topping TP21 mkII
Topping TP30
LP-2020A+ Lepai
and some others as well..but these all seem to be pretty damn good. I am using my Pioneer SB21's, which have been replaced with SB22's. Around 89db sensitivity iirc. I am using my powered Dayton DT-100 10" powered sub (iirc that's the right model, it too has since been replaced with a newer version).
Here's my monitor stands my current amp setups hide under: http://www.medicalartspress.com/staples-monitor-stand/cbs/264093.html?cm_mmc?cm_mmc=SEM_PLA_264093
If I could find a solution that would fit there that's what i'm after.
At this point I have a FiiO E9 as my dedicated headphone amp and for that it's performed amazingly well. I do not have the E7 dac for it, as I just use the analogue outputs from my Auzen Forte card.
I am thinking I may just go with another dedicated speaker amp, but am wondering whether or not I should go digital. If I do, then really I would no longer need a sound card due to the digital signal being the same since no sound processing or conversion would happen in the PC correct?
I'm still unsure if digital is for me or not...and really my E9 sounds great through all my earbuds and headphones I don't want to get rid of it, but I am also wondering what I could do for a more all-in-one solution that would provide a good strong and clean signal to my headphones and speakers (with sub outputs as well so I don't have to run low-level inputs from the amp as as well).
I am thinking a receiver, but I don't really have the room on my desktop unless I get one that supports a monitor as I'm using a couple monitor stands from staples so I have room for my 2 workstations in one desk.
To keep things simple I may just go for another amp that has analogue inputs.
Another question, even though I've owned this sound card since 2009, I can't recall and I'm just about to head into Business class...haven't found if I can enable or use the sub output (orange) in 2.1 mode. I already have one splitter so I can use one signal to my HP amp and one to the speaker amp. I could use the pass-thru from the HP amp to the speaker amp...but then both need to be on. That bothered me. But then the wiring mess I created by wanting a headphone amp with volume control and then adding my hi-fi system really made headache lol!
Suggestions? My budget? $100. I can stretch it a little bit...I was going to recently downsize my rig to a m-atx. So if I could convert to digital and simplify things that'd be cool. But I really do like the EQ in the Creative Console, and really my Forte has been a champ of a card...even with drivers that were never truly fixed...I will say I've yet to hear the buzzing from the Win 8 drivers.
Sorry for the long post and spaced thoughts...as most of my research threads go I will hopefully post my findings and research on this topic as I get time to and I look forward to the suggestions of my fellow TPU'ers. Thanks all!
Brands I'm looking at for Class D/T amps:
SMSL SA-98E
SMSL SA-50
Topping TP21 mkII
Topping TP30
LP-2020A+ Lepai
and some others as well..but these all seem to be pretty damn good. I am using my Pioneer SB21's, which have been replaced with SB22's. Around 89db sensitivity iirc. I am using my powered Dayton DT-100 10" powered sub (iirc that's the right model, it too has since been replaced with a newer version).
Here's my monitor stands my current amp setups hide under: http://www.medicalartspress.com/staples-monitor-stand/cbs/264093.html?cm_mmc?cm_mmc=SEM_PLA_264093
If I could find a solution that would fit there that's what i'm after.