Gamers, What's Your Audio Set Up?

If you get passive speakers you'll need a stereo amplifier as well. I think the Topping DAC is variable pre out option? If so a stereo power amp will work. Or if you want a stereo amp so you have a actual volume control and multiple inputs/outputs etc.

ahh thanks. that is good to know! It does have a pre-amp mode yes. Does that mean it still does it's DAC thing too when in pre-amp mode or does it switch functionality completely? As you might be able to tell, I am clueless with the audio stuff :)
 
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ahh thanks. that is good to know! It does have a pre-amp mode yes. Does that mean it still does it's DAC thing too when in pre-amp mode or does it switch functionality completely? As you might be able to tell, I am clueless with the audio stuff :)

yes it'll be a dac & pre amp. Make sure you have it in pre amp mode and it's a low volume otherwise you'll blow your speakers.
 
yes it'll be a dac & pre amp. Make sure you have it in pre amp mode and it's a low volume otherwise you'll blow your speakers.

thank-you, I will keep that in mind. Weirdly in pre-amp mode it goes from 0 to minus 99 rather than 0-99 lol. Confused me even further. So just to make sure I understand, because it has a pre-amp mode, I could go with just set of passive speakers in pre-amp mode. But if I bought active speakers, I would use the DAC mode. And if I wanted for some weird reason to use DAC mode with passive speakers, I would then need a pre-amp as well.

I think I might watch a newbie video or two later lol.

Thanks for the advice good Sir :)
 
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No, if you buy passive speakers you'll need a stereo amplifier or two monoblocs ie the fosi monos.

If you bought active speakers you can connect the topping straight into the them

The topping will always act as a DAC, any digital signal will be converted from Digital to Analogue - that is what a DAC is. Some DAC's are just DAC's only, with line output, but some have pre amp output, which is variable so then you connect that into power amplifier.

You will need one pre amp somewhere long the chain, ie if you have active speakers they typically have their own volume control, so feeding those fixed level is fine.
 
No, if you buy passive speakers you'll need a stereo amplifier or two monoblocs ie the fosi monos.

If you bought active speakers you can connect the topping straight into the them

The topping will always act as a DAC, any digital signal will be converted from Digital to Analogue - that is what a DAC is. Some DAC's are just DAC's only, with line output, but some have pre amp output, which is variable so then you connect that into power amplifier.

You will need one pre amp somewhere long the chain, ie if you have active speakers they typically have their own volume control, so feeding those fixed level is fine.

ahh ok. The clue was in the name of 'pre-amp' not 'instead-of amp' lol. I think for simplicities sake (and so I don't mess it up), I will look for active ones haha.

edit: after your helpful post and watching a video (from Badseed Tech), I get it now :) thanks again mate, appreciated!
 
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For Speakers I have a NAD 3020D > Elac B5.2
Headphones
Audio GD NFB 11 > Phillips Fidelio X2 Using a Vmoda boom pro for mic. Vmoda isnt great and at max volume there is some channel imbalance
Audio GD NFB 11 (DAC not the best) > Bottlehead Crack > HD 650

Recently upgraded speakers and happy on that front. Interested in getting a better mic and some new headphones for gaming. Longer term will get a schiit DAC.

Considering just getting a modmic for HD650, thoughts on MODMIC ? Thinking USB will be better?
Anyone have DT 880 600 Ohm? (Need to be >=300 ohm to play well with Crack as its OTL)
 
Considering just getting a modmic for HD650, thoughts on MODMIC ? Thinking USB will be better?

Not sure if you bought one but I still have my original Modmic UNI (3.5mm) although I haven't used it much. Recently they released the new Modmic UNI 2 / USB 2 which definitely made improvements. USB is better in that you avoid noise and are not at the mercy of whatever you are plugging into. I bought the UNI as it is more versatile for plugging into a any 3.5mm input.

There's a good comparison in GadgetaryTech's recent Modmic 2 round-up. If I was a PC-only gamer I'd consider the USB even if it is more expensive, albeit I'd probably consider a desktop mic too.
 
Q Acoustics 2020i ,DAC Topping MX3S .
I have Q acoustics speakers downstairs, love the sound of them they do awesome with vocals
Not sure if you bought one but I still have my original Modmic UNI (3.5mm) although I haven't used it much. Recently they released the new Modmic UNI 2 / USB 2 which definitely made improvements. USB is better in that you avoid noise and are not at the mercy of whatever you are plugging into. I bought the UNI as it is more versatile for plugging into a any 3.5mm input.

There's a good comparison in GadgetaryTech's recent Modmic 2 round-up. If I was a PC-only gamer I'd consider the USB even if it is more expensive, albeit I'd probably consider a desktop mic too.
Nope not yet! been busy buying everything else for a new pc!

Yea my current mic via mobo has interference i can hear through my headphones when i move my mouse. When i disconnect the mic the sound goes away it sounds like there is a ground loop somehow. I just think mobo sound is trash even with all the "gamer sound" hype - too much interference. Leaning towards USB option to eliminate that completely.

Now you got me thinking i wonder which would be better Fifine AM8 or Modmic USB 2 - just for gaming and discord nothing fancy. The search continues
 
Now you got me thinking i wonder which would be better Fifine AM8 or Modmic USB 2 - just for gaming and discord nothing fancy. The search continues

I think if you're using a microphone constantly with a PC-gaming setup and you have the space there's a strong argument for desktop/boom arm setup. Better mic quality etc.

That said it's probably easy then to start going down a XLR/audio interface/mixer rabbit hole too.
 
Just installed the Aiyima A80 with 828 OpAmps. Getting accustomed to the slight difference in sound signature but so far excellent. the internal relays sleep the circuit if no signal from PC in like aa minute with instant wakeup (DAC remains connected to PC via USB).

The Topping MX3S needed high gain and +2 bass and +3 treble to get a nice balance for my speakers, this needs just +2 bass as treble seems already where it needs to be. Loudness is definitely greater with this which is expected.

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Ancient Creative sound card and desktop speakers for office stuff and testing.

€40 Razer headphones for gaming.

The classic TBHQ “Ain’t broke, don’t fix it/I’m broke, so can’t upgrade it” combo.
 
So the A80 is excellent for sound but I've observed some quirks that scratch the wrong bits of my mind which has meant I've filed a returns:(

1: When the display is set to anything but max brightness or off then a very low high frequency whine can be heard from the regulator I assume if I turn my head a certain way. I initially thought it was the power adapter but turns out that this is not the case. It's the same sort of whine you hear from RGB keyboards or mice when lowering the brightness which puts a load on the capacitors or resistors inside causing the whine.

2: When playing content like YouTube, skipping back and forward creates a 1s gap in audio before audio continues playing, like I can see someone talking, press back arrow to rewind a few seconds but it takes another second for the speaking to be heard like as if th A80 has to buffer the audio for resuming. Slight annoyance that.

3: The heat it generates is quite insane. I m assured 49 degrees on the housing exterior so the internal temp is obviously much higher.


Did a lot of additional research last night and ended up ordering th Fosi Audio BT20A Pro, it took has swappable opamps and iv already got the higher power adapter to drive to max capability. It's a simpler pure unit that has reviewed really well so am looking forward to feeding it via the K11 R2R using line out effectively as a pre amp which means saving a USB port from the PC.

This is fine by me as the R2R can function as line level out or volume controlled like out as well so depending on which I want to use as master volume, the option is there and the R2R DAC stage is excellent quality so no concerns there.

Shame as I really like the VU meter on the A80! Though ty Fosi is much cheeper and reads like it sounds better too with its transparency and simple approach.


Edit*
So I never actually tried the stock OpAmps with the A80, had the OPA828 in there from day 1 so figured I'd give them a try this evening and man, the audio quirks mentioned above are gone, it's smooth and warm with a near analogue sound signature like what I'm used to from past amps. I guess the OPA828 I had in there either aren't a great pairing with this amp or the chips are not genuine OPA828s given they were from AliExpress - The stock OpAmps are genuine

It's also not getting as hot any more, I reckon the 828s I have are either bugged or just not well suited to this amp. Guess I am keeping the A80 after all :D

The sound with the stock OpAmps is stunning.
 
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Yup very happy with this combo now with the stock Texas Instruments OpAmps. Got the more powerful power supply coming tomorrow which will get the full capability out of the A80's 300W x2 and from what people say, opens up the sound a bit more too.
 
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Yup very happy with this combo now with the stock Texas Instruments OpAmps. Got the more powerful power supply coming tomorrow which will get the full capability out of the A80's 300W x2 and from what people say, opens up the sound a bit more too.

The 10a power supply is really not needed, plenty of power on tap with 5a, it's massive compared to the 5a and has a fan built-in, also runs hotter.
 
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