How to hook up your DAC and Amp - A Beginners' Guide

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New to audio? I answer the most common questions about how to hook up an audio DAC and headphone amplifier, covering RCA, XLR, and even connections from portable gear that uses 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors.
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Don't forget to read the FAQ! hear.audio/faq
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Become a member, see my reviews and product impressions in advance, and get my buying advice any time:
buymeacoffee.com/currawong
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Various cables: (I may get a commission if you buy using these links)
Adaptor cables:
Amazon Basics 3.5mm to 2-Male RCA Adapter Audio Stereo Cable amzn.to/3TX7d6l
3.5 mm TRS to Dual RCA adaptor amzn.to/3TVElvd
High-quality adaptor cables (cheapest to most expensive):
Audioquest Tower 3.5mm to RCA 1.9 ft amzn.to/3VEBtUC
Audioquest Evergreen 3.5mm to RCA 1m amzn.to/3VvmjkC
AudioQuest Evergreen, 3.5mm to RCA Male Cable, 0.6-Meter/1.97 Feet amzn.to/3ISma3c
Audioquest Big SUR 0.6 m 3.5 mm to RCA amzn.to/3ISmm2q
RCA:
Monoprice 1.5ft RCA cables amzn.to/3TTV6H1
Amazon Basics RCA amzn.to/3PEMfGI
RCA (expensive):
AudioQuest 0.6M Tower RCA amzn.to/49f2Esp
AudioQuest Evergreen 1m RCA amzn.to/3J2tMQt
AudioQuest Golden Gate RCA 0.6m amzn.to/4cDtSfh
AudioQuest Big Sur RCA 0.6m amzn.to/3xlzfzi
XLR:
6 inch XLR cable set amzn.to/4axsyIR
Cable Matters 2-Pack Premium Short XLR amzn.to/49gstIC
Mogami Gold STUDIO-02 XLR (single cable) amzn.to/43xMOrH
Monolith XLR (single cable) amzn.to/3Q39fQ3
XLR (expensive):
AudioQuest - Red River (XLR, 1.0m) amzn.to/3TUFOlr
AudioQuest Mackenzie XLR amzn.to/499l7Xi
AudioQuest Yukon XLR amzn.to/4acTnlZ
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00:00 Introduction
00:56 RCA DAC to amp connection
05:32 XLR Balanced DAC to amp connection
11:10 Portable 3.5mm & 4.4mm connections

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Опубликовано:

5 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 40

@Currawong 4 месяца назад

Share this with anyone who needs to know how to hook up their headphone or audio stack. I re-uploaded this after I found that the audio settings were messed up between clips. Thanks to everyone who alerted me.

@ThinkingBetter 4 месяца назад

RCA cables might actually be better than balanced for such short cables as the electronics is simpler without balanced circuit. If this was an integrated product, you wouldn’t have added those extra components not only due to the added BOM cost but also due to the added loss of signal integrity. Balanced makes sense for much longer cables but for some reason got a reputation for being better also for very short cables, which is generally false.

@LangleyNA 3 месяца назад

I say " thank you" for making the video. There is always a place for elementary education, because we all start at the beginning at some point in time. Folks' need to learn is not to be given disregard. Things perceived as simple, "common sense," mundane and everyday are not necessarily this way for another. We want to be able to learn! Thank you for helping people learn, Currawong.

@Jefafa73 4 месяца назад

Also, make sure the sound output on your device (computer, tv, etc.) is set to the component that's connected to it. Computers often have a few sound output options. Windows can be done by clicking the speaker icon in the bottom right of your screen and selecting the desired output.

@StructureMastery 2 месяца назад

Your video is life saving !! Just bought a Schiit stack for my headphones, and I was totally lost, coming from iems

@martinfox2244 4 месяца назад

I will try running my DAP through my amp via 3.5mm/RCA connection. Thanks for the idea.

@spamcan9208 4 месяца назад

In the past I've hooked up my Bluetooth dongle to my old home theater receiver using that same cable.

@chronometa 4 месяца назад

I've done this. With my walkman, using the DAC of the dap. Works fine.

@JohnDoe-vt6zm 8 дней назад

thank you

@Reeeepicheep 4 месяца назад

You can also do RCA to XLR or XLR to RCA in cases where only your DAC is balanced but your amp isn't and vice versa.

@Currawong 4 месяца назад

You can, but it's almost always unnecessary, and can cause issues with some equipment, as RCA/XLR adaptor cables short part of the electronics to ground.

@JesusGonzalez-ky8im 3 месяца назад

Fantastic, clear and simple. Thanks

@asan1050 4 месяца назад

Thanks for posting this video.

@Tantik666 2 месяца назад

Thank you for the video - really helpful! Just interesting - what will be if I connect my FiiO Q7 using 6,3 to 2 rca cable to my standalone amplifier. And then will plug in my headphones to the standalone amplifier via balance input - XLR or 4.4 pentacon. Is it going to be just unbalance or are there any nuances,

@Currawong Месяц назад

XLR and 4.4mm outputs of a balanced amp will always be balanced, so no problem with what you're doing.

@upltsk00 3 месяца назад

Thanks for the straightforward video! One question: Do you normally switch the power off on the back of your Jot2 + Bifrost stack when your PC is turned off/when not in use or do you usually just leave the stack powered on even when your PC is turned off? As a Jot2 + Bifrost stack user this simple but dumb question has kept me up a couple times haha

@Currawong 3 месяца назад

I'd leave the Bifrost on, and the Jotunheim off. R2R DACs like the Bifrost are affected by temperature. Leaving them on allows them to stay stable.

@ActuallySparky 4 месяца назад

RU-6 as a source hyyyype!

@jerryodom4542 4 месяца назад

I've heard people say optical is better than usb for connecting a dac but I've never really looked into that too much. Is there a way to use optical with a computer (particularly Apple) and do you think there's any advantage?

@AlwaysLoudAA 3 месяца назад

Hell, noob question as I am new to the hobby. What if I have a all-in-one system - meaning DAC/AMP in 1 device. Do I just plug in my pc to the dac/amp and i'm good to go?

@Currawong 2 месяца назад

Yes, that's right.

@milkmn4609 4 месяца назад

What if you have multiple amps but one DAC? My current setup consists of a schitt Valhalla 2 & magnius connected to a geshilli labs jnog 2 dac. I connected the Valhalla to the system using the rca outputs, it works but the Valhalla obliviously relies on magnius to function. What is the alternative?

@portalhead95 4 месяца назад

you can connect both of your amps independently to Jnog 2 since it has 2 different outputs. Connecting Magnius through XLR output of Jnog2, and feed Valhalla 2 by RCA outs of the DAC. I assume right know you are feeding Valhalla 2 using RCA pre-out on Magnius. But you don't have to. all you need is a pair of XLR connectors so that you can connect your Magnius directly to the DAC. and use RCA out for Valhalla 2. in fact if you connect your Valhalla 2 directly to Jnog 2, you probably are going to get better sound since Single Ended output of Magnius isn't as good as Balanced out.

@Reubenhater 4 месяца назад

So if i am understanding the video correctly, The computer or dap connects to the dac. The dac output connects to the amp input. The headphones or speakers connects to the amp. Is this correct?

@Currawong 4 месяца назад

That's correct.

@chronometa 4 месяца назад

Hmmmm. This is an important video. Its even hard to get some good info in forums for this basic concept. I am actually using my dap as my computer/streamer. I was curious if the dac in the DAP spits out enough volts when i plug it into an amp. I wanted to use my dap as a second (oversampling DAC).

@Currawong 4 месяца назад

Standard outputs for SE (RCA) and balanced (XLR or 4.4mm) are 2V and 4V. If the DAP has a line out mode, it should be sufficient. It's rare that it's not.

@chronometa 4 месяца назад

@@Currawong ahhh cool. I'm a huge fan of the sony walkmans.

@masterazlan6999 4 месяца назад

U r like the guys of AI doin 101...Ha5..Peace!

@acheresh 4 месяца назад

aune s17 pro soon? :)

@connorhall69 26 дней назад

If I have a logitech z906 surround sound system and it has a dac built in can I use an external dac and plug my headphone into the logitech so it amplifies the headphones more than the amp built into my Cambridge 200 magic

@Currawong 26 дней назад

Only if the Logitech has digital passthrough.

@connorhall69 26 дней назад

@@Currawong yes it has optical output but if I use the analog. Will it still use the dac from the logitech or the dac magic? I have a marantz pm6007 aswell but that also has a dac I don't know what to do

@connorhall69 26 дней назад

Have I brought a dac for no reason

@connorhall69 26 дней назад

@@Currawong if i dont use the digital passthrough will it still use the logitech dac?

@Currawong 25 дней назад

If you connect the analog outputs of the Logitec, you'll be using the Logitech's DAC. If you connect to the analog outputs of the external DAC, you'll use the external DAC.

@husamalden2897 3 месяца назад

I want to use my audio interface as a DAC and connect it to an AMP, my Audient id 14 mkii doesn't have RCA output, only quarter inch output, what is the best way to use it as a DAC??

@Currawong 3 месяца назад

You can get adaptors. amzn.to/49wHu9i

@husamalden2897 3 месяца назад

@@Currawong Does it matter if it's TS or TRS adapter?

@Currawong 3 месяца назад

Check the manual of your amp. Usually both TRS-to-XLR or TS-to-RCA will work.