having a hard time finding anything without blue lights that’s under $300ish.
I’m trying to upgrade my office PC that has some horrid Logitech gaming speakers on them, the plan is to get RB42s for the system though.
If you have a preamp or volume control, the parasound zamp v3 is nice
I do not have either unless I can use a jotunheim as a preamp, I know zero about speaker amps. Pardon my ignorance.
You could get something like a schitt sys or jbl nano patch, and hook up a source. The parasound is a pure stereo power amp. It has no volume control or any other features besides powering speakers. You need something in the middle to control the volume and potentially also allow for more inputs. The sys or nano patch act as a line level control from a dac or different source to the power amp, giving volume control and preventing the amp from outputting full power
I might get that stuff for the sound system on my tv which also needs to be upgraded but I’ve yet to do that because I have to sound proof my house, but this is sounding like something that would take up an already crowded desktop.
I was originally looking at the SMSL SA-98E, but the blue light turned me off instantly.
The zamp v3 is super small, and you could get a dac like a smsl su-8 which has a built in volume control. Another amp that’s in your price range and integrated would be the NAD D3020v2. Really nice integrated amp.
If the SU-8 had a nob, I’d buy that right now.
The cheaper the better when it comes to this stuff. I have coworkers with sticky fingers that have swiped a toughbook out of my office before.
Well there’s the smsl da-8, a speaker amp
Edit: but you still need a source
Edit 2:I have not heard this though, and reviews are mixed
I can just pick up something like a modi, the issue I’m finding is that everything has blue lights on them and this is annoying the fuck out of me. I’ll take no LEDs over blue LEDs.
Is there an amp that is also a pre?
I have a very small desk and no drawers. If I had a larger desk I might not be as finicky about things, but I had to trade a larger desk for a sleeper sofa because sleeping on the carpet was very uncomfortable.
Something like the NAD D3020v2 is perfect, but I don’t really want to spend $400 on something for my office
You can get a refurb for around 300 on the nad. The da-8 has a built-in volume control, you could get a modi to connect it to or something.
I forgot that I can’t have wireless stuff on it because I manage a few CEHs and if it has any wireless thing, they will find someway to fuck with me.
I had a topping MX3 and I kept getting written up because of them. I got them back though by making them work the weekends while I had to take racial sensitivity courses
If I can find a refurb from a trustable source, I might look into it. I’ve had some pretty bad luck in the past from refurbs for audio equipment.
Here is a certified refurb, but it’s 350. https://www.safeandsoundhq.com/products/nad-electronics-d-3020-v2-hybird-digital-amplifier-factory-refurbished?variant=19686773981238&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9tGbsPG84wIVj5OzCh3nmQnMEAQYASABEgLxB_D_BwE
The nad does have bluetooth though. The micca origain is another option
Edit: you can also get an origain with a built in dac. Although I haven’t heard this one either
Finding small desktop amps without any wireless kinda narrows your options to very basic desktop solutions or pure power amps with separate components
And ones without blue LEDs limits it even more.
I’m a little hesitant to drop $350 on it since I know I’ll need to replace it 9 times in a year because the mail room workers will swipe it.
I keep telling them I’d rather just hand them cash so i don’t have to keep rebuying everything ever few odd months.
Hmm. You might want to look into the origain with a built in dac then, Micca OriGain Compact Stereo Integrated Amplifier and DAC, 50W x 2, 96kHz/24-Bit, USB and Optical S/PDIF (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXV4O6B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hp5lDbDFC2R99
Cheap, small, no blue led, something subtle
That has enough power?
While this claims 50wpc, I kinda doubt it since the distortion would be so high. But, even though this is a smaller unit, using speakers as nearfield really doesn’t require that much power, since they are so close. If you listen at average volumes that would be tolerable in an office, you should be fine. Most desktop amps of this caliber are rated about the same, with verifying levels of thd. The better quality amps won’t experience high levels of distortion at the same wattage as lesser quality amps.
Edit: I should also state that I used to use a 50wpc (although more powerful since that was at 8ohms) with my SVS ultras and it got them plenty loud, loud enough to disturb my neighbors next to my house. I don’t know what ohms the RB42s are though
Edit 2: it seems that the rb42s are 4-8ohms, so the origain puts out 50wpc at 4 ohms and 30 at 8 ohms, so that should be sufficient. It probably won’t sound as good as the nad though, just because that is a cleaner amp
I’m not too worried about the it being the highest quality since I’m just playing music or watching something on netflix.
When it’s normal office hours I just bring in a klipsch heritage and an ether c flow from home because I’m not allowed to use speakers during normal hours after a bluetooth incident and a hyper offensive song.
I just use a questyle qp2r or a m11 and xdsd stack with my focal elegias and it works. I could bring in better, but I don’t want to hassle with larger and don’t want to risk damage to more expensive things. But speakers are not allowed in our building at all so that kinda sucks.
So either the da-8 and a modi or the micca origain seem to be your best bet. There’s probably something else out there, but I can’t really look since I’m still at work