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Topping DX7s Balanced DAC/Amp

Audiophile

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Topping DX7s Balanced DAC/Amp

jker

Keyboard Club Member

Apr 18, 2018

With this unit hooked up to my PC via USB and a game console hooked up with the TOSLINK input, whats the best way to hook up a phono input? I already have a TC-750LC preamp, so should I run that into my PC's line-in input and have Windows 'listen' to it so that it outputs through the USB channel or should I get an analog to SPDIF converter like the LINDY and run that into the SPDIF input on this unit? Just looking for suggestions, pros/cons to each method beyond the obvious of buying the LINDY versus using what I have. Is there a different way you would do this?

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muggy

Apr 18, 2018

jkerInputs are: USB, TOSLINK, Coax, and AES. I believe these are all digital inputs, so direct connection to the DX7S would have to be converted from the phono out. Since you are converting to digital, there really wouldn't be a need for the TC-750LC preamp.
I'd have to imagine you would be introducing more noise through the PC input than a standalone unit like the Lindy. Looking at the cost of the Lindy unit, I would say get an O2 or similar amp for the phono, and leave that chain as analog all together. If you're set on using the DX7S as a means to connect all of these devices, then you'll be paying for the conversions in the chain seeing as there is no analog input. Of course, there are other units out there that have the analog inputs along with TOSLINK, USB, and Coax (if you want to go down that route).

jker

Keyboard Club Member

Apr 18, 2018

muggyThanks for the info, since I'm rather new to this what other device suggestions would you recommend to accomplish this job that have the TOSLINK, USB, Coax, and analog inputs for a reasonable price? I understand the balanced outputs are going to be in found in the higher price ranges.
Since you mention the O2 route, I need to mention that I will also be outputting to some powered monitors (Massdrop flavored JBL LSR30X's) as well as using headphones occasionally. I would prefer to have the option of having the phono outputting to both headphones and speakers which I'm not sure I'll be able to do with the O2 without swapping some cables around.

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muggy

Apr 18, 2018

jkerThe audiogd compass would be one option that includes the inputs you're looking for. http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/Compass%202/Compass2EN_Specs.htm
Nuforce Icon HDP (discontinued): https://www.massdrop.com/buy/nuforce-icon-hdp-dac-and-amp
Wyred4Sound Mpre: https://wyred4sound.com/products/pre-amps/mpre

Teac AI301DA/AX501/HA501/UD-503 would be alternatives, these varying combinations may be less focused on what you're trying to achieve or in the case of the HA501 you would need a separate DAC.
This unit: http://www.oehlbach.com/de/detail/index/sArticle/62
A less elegant solution would be to get something like a D50/A30 stack and get a switcher to go into the amp input.

jker

Keyboard Club Member

Apr 19, 2018

muggyThanks for the great suggestions. I appreciate your help.

d3rrlck

Apr 19, 2018

jker TC-750LC is already a pre-amp. It's either you connect it to headphone amp or your connect it directly to a speaker amp (which in your case is your JBL monitor). There's no such device that would offer an analog input, then expects it to output an stereo analog to another device such as active speakers because that would mean having dual pre-amp/Amp in the signal path which is just ridiculous. If you really need to listen to your phono, then I guess you might want to check the queststyle cm600i (or something similar) with analog input that goes into headphone out. It has also a plethora of digital inputs. If you need to connect the phono pre-amp to your active monitor, I guess the best way is to add an audio switcher, it saves you time swapping the connection.

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