Speakers, DACs, & Amps - Thread - Our magical sound-making boxes.

[Gog & Magog]

I'm giving up on making my own 5.1 surround system. It's just too expensive.

 

[The Evil Midnight Bomber]

I recently got a hand me down audio setup from my dad. Two first gen Orbid Neptune satellites with early 00's replacemen drivers on the bottom:

A late 80's Taiwanese Wangine WCA-220 Stereo Integrated amplifier (they used to be an OEM manufacturer for Blaupunkt):

And a gigantic Magnat Monitor Supreme Sub 301A precariously placed underneath my desk because I'm waiting on longer cables to be delivered (the jury rigged metal shield has saved my ass multiple times):

 

[𒀭Δημιουργός χάος]

My small Onkyo DP-X1A DAC is with me since 2018, probably the best thing I brought in ages.

 

[Rodeo Roadrunner]

Does any DAC not have a built-in amplifier as is?

Plenty don't. Depends on how expensive you are talking, but generally if you are amplifying speakers, the amps will be standalone, and you will get a standalone DAC. For example, JDS Labs sells a standalone DAC and a standalone amp for headphone/IEM use, and they also sell an all-in-one that is their flagship product (Element 4)

Personally my setup is a Schiit Yggdrasil and Ragnarok. Those power some JBL 530 studio monitors, and also Sennheiser HD800 SDR mod. I got the entire setup (sans speakers) for a deal from a friend that was exiting audio so I got it for relatively cheap. If I had to do it again honestly I would probably just get an Element 4 or something similar for the HD800, headphones are much more important imo than the DAC and amp.

 

[The Evil Midnight Bomber]

I just opened up the boy to look at him because he wasn't coming out of standby and discovered a grave injury on his power board:


I'm ordering new caps right now.

Oh and for anyone curious, this is what 30+ years of cigarette smoke does to amp circuitry:

 

[The Evil Midnight Bomber]

Double post but the boy is a solid state survivor:

1:23

 

[hesaback]

Fluid Audio coaxial 8 inch monitors with a matching sub. If I want I can make things fall off the wall and scare the neighbours.
They do run through Klark Teknik EQs and a very crap compressor that I like.

Audio interface is either a Saffire Pro 40 (Firewire), Behringer x air 18 or a 18 80s analogue Soundcraft desk.

Podcast and audiobook listening is through a really cheap pair of logitech speakers.

 

[Gog & Magog]

Got an early Christmas gift. A pair of Edifiers. R1280T something like that. They're alright.

 

[hesaback]

That's unbelievably retarded. If there were a particular frequency response curve that was inherently superior for listening, studio monitors would use that.

The idea is that with a flat response you can add EQ and spacial effects and have control over the mix. Once you have a decent mix you try it out on a grot box to hear what it will sound like via normal speakers you find in cars, phones and so on.
I used a JVC Boombox but it died so now I use a mix cube.