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DoubleF · 03-31-2022, 11:14 PM

reading your post again, I'm wondering if there's some terminology confusion. I think we are all on sorta the same page but totally different places of that page. It also doesn't help there are units that blend different combos of DAC, pre amp, power amp and player together. I still get these terminology mixed up, so I'll try my best.

DAC is digital to analog converter. It's more heavily favored as a unit for RCA and Coaxial out. I think a DAC is more useful for speakers even if it had components for headphones.

If I'm not mistaken, Preamp is what you want to get the sound profile you want.

Power amp is if your headphones are too quiet when plugged in and / or you have to crank the volume up so high that there's too much distortion and noise.

GuaranteedEV is talking about units that would be a great fixture to your computer to get good sound profile and have output to headphones and speakers. It'll do sound at the computer great, but no portable.

What you linked I think is more like a higher end portable amp (power with some preamp features). It'll get the volume you want, but the preamp features in it wouldn't be as good when at a computer as those found in the DAC/Amp combos. I think that's what caluminate was alluding to. It'll do portable and at computer, but inferior to the dedicated DAC/Amp combos at the computer.

Myself and others, I was suggesting a DAC/DAP w/ built in portable amp combo with the Fiio players. It's kinda like what you linked, but with the added ability to play music (digital analog player DAP). But as far as I can tell... It doesn't really seem like the DAC function is as important to you as long as the amp has a 3.5mm jack.

Because your OP said you're primarily gaming and a computer should have too many issues with power, then I think guaranteedEV and caluminate are right that those other DAC/Amp combos are better for your needs for gaming than the creative portable amp you have.

The portable amp you have is good to connect to an mp3 player so that you aren't cranking a player to 80-90% just to hear the music at an acceptable level. You can pair it to drop the player down to 30-40% volume instead.

That being said, I find portable amps are kinda pointless because power output on most things with 3.5mm Jacks are pretty decent now. Additionally there's significantly less distortion and crackling than things with 3.5mm Jacks 10-15 years ago. This is especially true of most phones. You only really need portable for volume for some minor sounds / balance.

For portability, a player with power amps built in like the Fiio music players is IMO the best combo for me with less bulk. Even though the creative external sound card is pretty small, it's still bulk IMO. That's the same reason I abandoned my Fiio E06. Everything I had that played music had enough volume and EQ options and I was fine with sacrificing quality for portability when on the go. When I game or watch movie, I sacrifice portability for quality sound by using a mixamp. (Preamp/power amp/other features like audio in/out). Mixamp can help so you don't sound like muffled ear cancer and your voice is clear in games.

The more I think about it, for gaming maybe a mixamp or a DAC/Amp combo or if we use buzzwords, a gaming amp is what you need.

ASTRO Gaming MixAmp Pro TR with Dolby Audio for Xbox One, PC & Mac - MixAmp Pro TR Edition https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NSNDHK2/...RJRA1F2ZP4ZVC9

Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro Gaming Audio Amplifier https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LDTP46G/...Y1QMVG1VV7R9ZD

Confusingly mixing/gaming amps are sometimes more pre amp and not enough power amp. But I love being able to toggle certain audio presets and surround sound presents in my ASTRO A40. You might have to play around with the combos. But if you're doing this, you're basically also smack dab debating the JDS and Schitt DAC/amps for cheaper but less EQ presets. It's kinda confusing because it depends on what you want and need.

For portability and on the go... You could continue using your creative card.

Thanks to this thread... I ended up down a rabbit hole and impulse bought a set of DT990 80 ohm to upgrade my Sennheiser HD555.... Lol

03-31-2022, 11:14 PM	#15
DoubleF Franchise Player Join Date: Apr 2014 Exp:	reading your post again, I'm wondering if there's some terminology confusion. I think we are all on sorta the same page but totally different places of that page. It also doesn't help there are units that blend different combos of DAC, pre amp, power amp and player together. I still get these terminology mixed up, so I'll try my best. DAC is digital to analog converter. It's more heavily favored as a unit for RCA and Coaxial out. I think a DAC is more useful for speakers even if it had components for headphones. If I'm not mistaken, Preamp is what you want to get the sound profile you want. Power amp is if your headphones are too quiet when plugged in and / or you have to crank the volume up so high that there's too much distortion and noise. GuaranteedEV is talking about units that would be a great fixture to your computer to get good sound profile and have output to headphones and speakers. It'll do sound at the computer great, but no portable. What you linked I think is more like a higher end portable amp (power with some preamp features). It'll get the volume you want, but the preamp features in it wouldn't be as good when at a computer as those found in the DAC/Amp combos. I think that's what caluminate was alluding to. It'll do portable and at computer, but inferior to the dedicated DAC/Amp combos at the computer. Myself and others, I was suggesting a DAC/DAP w/ built in portable amp combo with the Fiio players. It's kinda like what you linked, but with the added ability to play music (digital analog player DAP). But as far as I can tell... It doesn't really seem like the DAC function is as important to you as long as the amp has a 3.5mm jack. Because your OP said you're primarily gaming and a computer should have too many issues with power, then I think guaranteedEV and caluminate are right that those other DAC/Amp combos are better for your needs for gaming than the creative portable amp you have. The portable amp you have is good to connect to an mp3 player so that you aren't cranking a player to 80-90% just to hear the music at an acceptable level. You can pair it to drop the player down to 30-40% volume instead. That being said, I find portable amps are kinda pointless because power output on most things with 3.5mm Jacks are pretty decent now. Additionally there's significantly less distortion and crackling than things with 3.5mm Jacks 10-15 years ago. This is especially true of most phones. You only really need portable for volume for some minor sounds / balance. For portability, a player with power amps built in like the Fiio music players is IMO the best combo for me with less bulk. Even though the creative external sound card is pretty small, it's still bulk IMO. That's the same reason I abandoned my Fiio E06. Everything I had that played music had enough volume and EQ options and I was fine with sacrificing quality for portability when on the go. When I game or watch movie, I sacrifice portability for quality sound by using a mixamp. (Preamp/power amp/other features like audio in/out). Mixamp can help so you don't sound like muffled ear cancer and your voice is clear in games. The more I think about it, for gaming maybe a mixamp or a DAC/Amp combo or if we use buzzwords, a gaming amp is what you need. ASTRO Gaming MixAmp Pro TR with Dolby Audio for Xbox One, PC & Mac - MixAmp Pro TR Edition https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NSNDHK2/...RJRA1F2ZP4ZVC9 Sennheiser GSX 1200 Pro Gaming Audio Amplifier https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LDTP46G/...Y1QMVG1VV7R9ZD Confusingly mixing/gaming amps are sometimes more pre amp and not enough power amp. But I love being able to toggle certain audio presets and surround sound presents in my ASTRO A40. You might have to play around with the combos. But if you're doing this, you're basically also smack dab debating the JDS and Schitt DAC/amps for cheaper but less EQ presets. It's kinda confusing because it depends on what you want and need. For portability and on the go... You could continue using your creative card. Thanks to this thread... I ended up down a rabbit hole and impulse bought a set of DT990 80 ohm to upgrade my Sennheiser HD555.... Lol Last edited by DoubleF; 03-31-2022 at 11:44 PM.