# Double DAC?



## TomFord (Jul 15, 2014)

How's it going fellas?

Have been looking at some various USB DAC's that would connect to my laptop. Want one that's capable of connecting to my AVR and serve as a headphone amplifier. Was expecting an improvement in the sound quality from movies/music that I played from the laptop which goes to AVR via HDMI cable but after recently realizing the following I'm not sure if I would hear any improvement regardless of how I connected it and the laptop to the AVR.
All audio to the speakers from the AVR is converted through the dual Burr-Brown DACs on the Onkyo. 

Does sending better quality audio to the AVR for the Burr-Brown's to convert equal better quality audio? 
My intial thought on it is no it wouldn't, do any of you know? 

Really wanted to integrate the ES 9018 DAC (best quality available) without buying a component like the Oppo 105 which I don't need the other processes it's capable of. Is there a way to integrate the ES 9018 into your home theater system that doesn't involve the DACs in your AVR to re-convert the signal?

Appreciate any information. Confused on this one


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

It really depends on your equipment and needs. There are, probably, better DACs than the ones in your Onkyo AVR but I see two ways to implement them.

1. If your AVR has analog inputs with full analog bypass (no redigitizing), you can feed the new DAC from the laptop to those inputs and avoid the built-in DACs. This would, however, bypass all the processing and features of the AVR except for the volume control. I don't see this route as profitable.
2. Use the new DAC exclusively as a headphone amp.


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## TomFord (Jul 15, 2014)

Since posting the question I found a good article on Audioholics about it. The bottomed line if you will that the article concluded on was you will only see an improvement if the source player has a digital output. Know the laptop does with the HDMI output, but can't recall a DAC with that connection. 

The reason I'm focusing on this is I just returned my Fiio E17, and now need another headphone amplifier. Was just hoping to get one that acted as a superior sound card to the laptop since I cannot upgrade it. There's 2 products I'm leaning towards now. The NAD 3020, and the Oppo 105. Discovery there's an immense amount of new great quality components that fit my needs and many others. Bit of a nuisance to find good information on a lot of them


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

TomFord said:


> Since posting the question I found a good article on Audioholics about it. The bottomed line if you will that the article concluded on was you will only see an improvement if the source player has a digital output. Know the laptop does with the HDMI output, but can't recall a DAC with that connection.


Laptops come with other digital outputs like USB, FireWire, S/PDIF, etc.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

I would like to try a DAC out too, but I only have HDMI out of my NUCs. It is a shame that there isn't a way to do it like the old days of tapeloops. :T


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

TomFord said:


> Since posting the question I found a good article on Audioholics about it. The bottomed line if you will that the article concluded on was you will only see an improvement if the source player has a digital output. Know the laptop does with the HDMI output, but can't recall a DAC with that connection.
> 
> The reason I'm focusing on this is I just returned my Fiio E17, and now need another headphone amplifier. Was just hoping to get one that acted as a superior sound card to the laptop since I cannot upgrade it. There's 2 products I'm leaning towards now. The NAD 3020, and the Oppo 105. Discovery there's an immense amount of new great quality components that fit my needs and many others. Bit of a nuisance to find good information on a lot of them


I found out there are DACs with HDMI connections... Here is one. http://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/product/hdacc/


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

May I ask why you returned the Fiio? I use the E12 Mont Blanc and it works great with my AKG K712 headphones.


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