Monitor Speakers and DAC for a NLE System?

[Trevor Dennis]

I currently have mid-range Logitech 2.1 speakers connected to the system I use with Adobe's Creative Suite, so use HD280 headphones for critical audio work, (the phones are plugged directly into the computer using the on-board audio of an X79-UD5 MB. But I have been taking steps to minimise fan noise etc. from this system, and would like the option of using monitor speakers. If you have taken this route, would you mind sharing your set up and approach?

The room I am using is ten foot square, so four inch drivers would be good. I have checked out a few USB DACs — which I suspect would give me cleaner sound from the HD280s as well as drive active monitors. The sort of budget I have in mind would be the KRK Rokit 5 and Citronic ST5, but these are just a bit bigger than I’d like. (Availability here in New Zealand is also driving my choice.)

USB DAC wise, I am having more trouble homing in on an affordable option with decent performance. I've looked at the Firestone Audio FUBAR 3 mk2 but have seen some bad reviews. Here again, availability is limiting my choice.

So any thought would be much appreciated.

TIA

[Battle Vaughan]

Hi, Trevor! I'm using Roland (Edirol) Ma15D self-powered speakers plugged directly into the headphone-out on my system, phones into the headphone out on the speakers when needed. Used the same setup on a Mac at work when I was doing FCP editing, it's been pretty satisfactory, no separate DAC needed....

[Trevor Dennis]

Thanks Battle. It's more than 20 years since I took a strong interest in domestic audio, and it seems like the HiFi world is going dedicated Digital to Analogue Converter crazy nowadays. There are units out upwards of $10,000! I did a fair bit of reading on the subject before starting this thread, and while I don't to even start chasing the audiophile law of diminishing returns, I did find the arguments and technical aspects convincing. (I designed test instrumentation for most of my working life).

So while I am not about to spend big on a DAC, I shall probably invest in something like this Aune X1 unit. That's only going to cost me NZ$250, and I am hoping for a better feed to my headphones, a better feed for the studio monitors than using the computer's headphone socket.

Aune X1 DAC – Review | Dark Lord Reviews

The MA15Ds look like a good tip, and I can get them here. They are about the size I am looking for, and they review well. NZ$340 is the best price so far, but we tend to pay a premium of that sort of kit here. There is no way I can listen to a set without taking a flight to Wellington, or even Auckland. The latter would cost me way more than the speakers.

Thanks for your input Battle. You are always a reliable source on these forums.

[Battle Vaughan]

Thanks, Trevor! Please come back to this when you've got your kit running, I would love to hear the results. If there's a substantive difference it would be very instructive. Thanks again!

[Trevor Dennis]

OK well I've had the Aune X1 DAC for a day and a bit now, but can only use it with headphones at the moment (HD280). I have a pair of Mackie S5 near field monitors on their way, but it would be meaningless comparing those to the Logitech speakers I have been using.

As far as the Aune X1 goes, it has taken me all this time to realise that, yes, the music does sound better than through the headphone socket on my Gigabyte X79-UD5 motherboard. Initially I was buggered if I could tell the sources apart, but with time, and very carefully matching the relative volume levels, the X1 has an airy more open quality. I am trying _very_ hard not to sound like one of those tarts you read in the HiFi magazines, but can't think of a better way to describe the sound.

It should be noted that I can't hear frequencies above about 10Khz.

I'll try sourcing the Mackies from both the Aune X1 and motherboard speaker sockets, but I suspect that will be every bit as subtle as through the headphones. Bottom line... well the X1 cost me NZ$277, and the Mackie S5s NZ400 (used). I have absolutely no doubt that the speakers will represent considerably more bang-for-buck than the USB DAC. But hey! I wonder just how much better this US$6100 unit will sound?

6moons audio reviews: Acousticbuoy DAC 2488

[Trevor Dennis]

Wow! With the right material there is nothing subtle about it at all. I've just tried both X1 DAC and mainboard socket with a remastered Genesis box set, and the mainboard sounds like it's playing through several layers of sacking by comparison. Yes, I am definitely convinced now!

[Battle Vaughan]

Very interesting result! Have to give it a try. As my work has always been ENG for the newspaper website, extremely critical audio has not been an issue. If you are doing music videos or something, I can see how this would be of concern. I admit I am somewhat surprised that there is so great a difference, but glad to know about it, and thank you for replying!