Looking for help clarifying DAC/amp and if I could benefit from one

[VitrasSlade]

I've been looking around Massdrop and I often see DAC/amps, but have only considered them recently since I picked up some decent headphones and speakers for PC at my desk.

I hear that electronic hiss and a quiet (but noticeable) high-pitched ring if I connect my headphones to the volume know/hub. I go back and forth between my headphones and speakers, so it's uncomfortable.

The part confuses me the most is how it connects to everything. There's usually at least RCA and USB... Do you choose between them? And I honestly am not entirely sure if my speakers have a built in amp since I am not very well educated with audio hardware.

The speakers:
http/www.logitech.com/en-us/product/multimedia-speakers-z533

A couple of specific curiosities I have are 1) Can I still connect my headphones to the volume knob/hub of my speakers, or would I have to plug it into the DAC/amp? 2) Would both the volume controls of the speakers and the DAC/amp be usable or only the latter?

Any light that can be shed on this for me is much appreciated.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

Your speaker system has indeed got built in amplifier, no DAC however.

If you connect your headphones to the speaker, you'll "steal" the audio stream, as in you will be able to control it using the volume knob and software inside your OS, if your speaker system actually has one, I haven't looked it up.

I'm not sure where you're getting DAC from, you don't have one. DAC = Digital to Analog Converter, 3.5mm and RCA are analog.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Since your connections are analog the DAC you are using is the one in your soundcard of mobo. If you want to upgrade from that then you can add a DAC like one of these
http/schiit.com/products
connecting it to you PC via USB and connecting the DAC analog out to you speakers. You can connect the headphones to the speakers for now and upgrade to a better headphone amp later if and when you want to. Your speakers would benefit from the DAC but not from the headphone amp since they are self amplified.

 

[VitrasSlade]

So, would I connect the speakers to the DAC with the standard 3.5mm and the computer to the DAC with the RCA? Also, if I got a DAC with a headphone jack in the front it would "steal" the audio stream the same way, correct?

Forgot to mention my speakers are actually connect to KVM switch, but actually doesn't seem to have any quality difference.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

I don't think it matters in your case, you want high quality headphones or speakers before moving up to an external DAC/Interface/amp that's probably close to the overall cost of your sound system.

 

[VitrasSlade]

My speakers are about $100, as you saw, and my headphones are about the same. I was looking at possibly getting a pair of Sennheiser HD 598, as I am looking for some good bang for the buck (and comfortable) open-back headphones...

Should I maybe just get a cheaper $50-$100 DAC/amp to eliminate the electronic hiss? That's the only thing that I would definitely need it for.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

Buy an external audio interface, it'll bypass your onboard interface, which by default is creating a lot of interferance due to all the electronics around it. For the HD 598's, you may benefit from an amp, but you really want the full package. If you hear hissing now, that's going to get amplified as well.

 

[VitrasSlade]

Would the DAC eliminate the hissing, or not really since it's still connecting the the onboard output?

And I have discovered the high pitched ringing noise (when I plug in headphones to the speaker's hub) is actually coming from behind the sub woofer and is actually pretty loud if I turn it around so it faces me. Something wrong with the amp?