Just bought my first standalone DAC and headphone AMP :) Need some help hooking up

[phatbeatstudio]

Originally Posted by Sirocco

My current audio interface is an RME Fireface 800 (see i/o here: http://www.rme-audio.de/images/produ...ace_800_1b.jpg )

Basically, I grown tired of the sound of the RME converters, but I LOVE its connectivity, so I decided to keep it, and purchase a DAC and headphone amp.

I have purchased the violectric dac v800 (see i/o here: http://www.violectric.de/Resources/P...800_Back-k.jpg )

And also purchased a headphone amp for my sennheiser hd650s, the violectric v200: (see i/o here: http://www.violectric.de/Resources/P...200_Back-k.jpg )

Basically, I was looking for help on how to hook these new pieces up, being able to use the new DAC and bypass the DAC of my audio interface.
Sorry for being a noob about all this!
-Sirocco

I have never heard of any converter that lets you bypass the old converters so you can input newer better ones.

If it goes in it gets converted either from AD or DA.
I argued with somebody on here once about this.
In my opinion its like having a nice picture of beer on tap. Then later you think I want the expensive 10 dollar a bottle stuff. Well if you pour it into the same glass as the cheap stuff they just mix together compromising the quality of both.
I could be wrong but I don't think so.

[Neonknight]

Originally Posted by phatbeatstudio

I have never heard of any converter that lets you bypass the old converters so you can input newer better ones.

If it goes in it gets converted either from AD or DA.
I argued with somebody on here once about this.
In my opinion its like having a nice picture of beer on tap. Then later you think I want the expensive 10 dollar a bottle stuff. Well if you pour it into the same glass as the cheap stuff they just mix together compromising the quality of both.
I could be wrong but I don't think so.

If you connect a mic preamp with SPDIF or ADAT or any other digital connection you are of course using the AD converters in the preamp and not the converters in the firewireinterface.

[Sirocco]

Originally Posted by phatbeatstudio

I have never heard of any converter that lets you bypass the old converters so you can input newer better ones.

If it goes in it gets converted either from AD or DA.
I argued with somebody on here once about this.
In my opinion its like having a nice picture of beer on tap. Then later you think I want the expensive 10 dollar a bottle stuff. Well if you pour it into the same glass as the cheap stuff they just mix together compromising the quality of both.
I could be wrong but I don't think so.

This isnt what I have read about. So there's no way to "print" the quality I am paying for?!?

[vinvanda]

take the spdif output on the rme card and go into the coaxial input on the v800

use 2 xlr cables from the outputs of the v800 to the inputs on the v200

this should work.

[Sirocco]

Originally Posted by vinvanda

take the spdif output on the rme card and go into the coaxial input on the v800

use 2 xlr cables from the outputs of the v800 to the inputs on the v200

this should work.

Would there be a way to route the audio back into the RME digitally...basically "print" through the converters into the daw?

[vinvanda]

Originally Posted by Sirocco

Would there be a way to route the audio back into the RME digitally...basically "print" through the converters into the daw?

you want to go from digital-analogue-digital and record that?

[Sirocco]

Originally Posted by vinvanda

you want to go from digital-analogue-digital and record that?

That sounds about right I guess. I just want to record the essence of my dac back into my daw as the final step of outputting my mixes. Is this standard fair? Kind of like how you would print through a summing box etc...

[Sirocco]

I think I got it....

Headphone Monitoring:
RME ADAT OUT->V800 ADAT IN->V800 XLR OUT->V200 XLR IN->1/4 HEADPHONE OUT

Mix Printing:
RME ADAT OUT->V800 ADAT IN->V800 XLR OUT->V200 XLR IN->V200 cinch /rme out convert to->RME 1/4 in

Seem right? Is it ok for the rme to do A/D conversion at the last step? How much will it change the audio? Should i be printing the output of the v200 or v800...Am I completely off the mark here in regards of setting this up???

[popmann]

This isnt what I have read about. So there's no way to "print" the quality I am paying for?!?

The quality you just paid for is already there. A DAC makes nothing sound "better"--it sounds more like the digital coming from your computer, which so far you've heard with a 25cent DA.

FF SpDIF OUT...V800 SPDIF IN...V800 analog out into your montiors. Obviously having a built in headphone amp, your headphones also plug into he V800.

Having this unit won't make any difference in the sound of your recording EXCEPT...the most important one--it accurately shows you what is there...and makes you able to make the correct decisions. It does nothing to the audio itself. If you printed the output back, it would bottleneck on the AD. And even the best D-A-D loop is lossy compared to full digital. You do it because there's some analog gear in that loop that makes a world of a difference more than the subtle loss.

While you maybe didn't make it for the right reasons...it's an OK move--assuming your monitors themselves are solid. The best thing for a noobie to have is good monitoring, which is the DAC>amp>speakers>environment. It will make all the OTHER gear choices far easier and clearer-pun intended.

You're not mixing in headphones are you? If so, return it while you're still in the no penalty window. Explain it wasn't what you were looking for.

[popmann]

You cannot capture the "essence of the DAC" by feeding it back into an ADC. The essence is it's more accurately showing you what's happening already in the digital world, thus allowing you to make your decisions more accurrately--mic choice, placement, EQ, compressor settings, FX---the 9 million audio choices you make in a production.

...to be more succinct.

[Sirocco]

Originally Posted by popmann

You cannot capture the "essence of the DAC" by feeding it back into an ADC. The essence is it's more accurately showing you what's happening already in the digital world, thus allowing you to make your decisions more accurrately--mic choice, placement, EQ, compressor settings, FX---the 9 million audio choices you make in a production.

...to be more succinct.

Thanks so much for your posts. It has helped a lot. I mix with monitors and headphones, as I live in an apartment and have to do the best I can. I also am a audiophile and enjoy listening to high resolution audio CDs (hence why also purchasing the v200 amp). Thanks for the help. Knowing I don't have to "print" eases my mind a bit, as it actually seemed to be a bit of a hassle....but hey, you live and you learn. I don't regret these decisions/purchases as I have fully read about the build and quality of the items, and how they can be a centerpiece for many years to come.
-Sirocco