Can I use a headphone DAC with my desktop active speakers?

[Psilonaught]

I've been busy upgrading my home office and have just bought a pair of presonus Eris 3.5 active speakers with stands for my desk.

I was planning on hooking them up to my pc that lives on the back of my monitor with them via headphone jack to RCA.

Is it worth be buying a decent headphone DAC and use that to feed the active speakers?

So PC - USB - DAC - 3.5mm jack - RCA - active speakers

??

 

[griffo104]

You should be ok, I've used a Cyrus Soundkey from my laptop/phone into a normal integrated amp (I don't have the kind of speakers you have) but it should all be pretty much the same. I used a 3.5mm output from the Soundkey to a RCA output for input to the amp.

I also regularly use my Mojo from the laptop going into a headphone amp using a 3.5mm to RCA cable as I prefer it that way. I can't see there being a problem going to active speakers instead of an amp, just make sure there isn't too much gain going from the dac as some, even simple ones like the Cyrus, do amplify as well.

 

[Gray]

Is it worth be buying a decent headphone DAC and use that to feed the active speakers?

If they're anything like my brother's (different model) powered Presonus speakers, then yes, I think it would be worth it.

It's not a headphone amp, but the S.M.S.L SU-1 DAC could be all you need, at a very good price.....as well as offering extra inputs for, say, TV sound.

 

[Psilonaught]

So I bought a HiBy FC1 to mate with my Presonus speakers. What a great sounding combo! The HiBy has a LED indicator so you can see what resolution it is playing, when hooked up to my Qobuz Studio account which is handy.

As I work from home 95% of the time, I wanted to get my setup improved.

Job done, including a new electric standing desk for better blood pressure.

 

[Lawrence001]

Personally I prefer a DAC pre with RCA outs as I'm not sure the line voltage is the same as the headphone voltage and you get a better selection of RCA cables but it could just be the same output paralleled inside anyway. Some may have an opamp or amplification circuit just for the headphones, and the output impedance may be different, so this may colour the sound if you take from the jack. But then you might prefer the sound anyway!

 

[Psilonaught]

I might try a chifi dac pre eventually but it sounds pretty decent as it

My speaker stands with desk clamps arrive today too so I can raise the speakers to ear level.