Sound Card with External DAC not working

[greggreggreg]

I have a Xonar DGX in my computer and a Behringer FCA610 as the external, but I can't seem to get any sound no matter what I try. I have an SPDIF outputting from the sound card and obviously inputting to the FCA610. I have the sound card as the default device in windows, and I have the SPDIF out option checked in the Xonar DGX Audio Center app.

I'm of course trying to drive digital signal (emulated surround sounds) through my headphones (DT 770 80ohm), which are connected to the FCA610's headphone output. The SPDIF cable does appear to work properly, since the small red light is visible before connecting it to the FCA610. The FCA610's optical LED indicator also appears solid without flashing, meaning it has connection proper connection.

Another thing to point out, is that I chose this DAC simply because it had the proper I/O's for microphones. It has 2 direct inputs on the front and 4 TRS inputs on the back, and I use 1 backside TRS input to have my tube preamp connected, with the mic into the tube pre. It's a bit of a chain but I enjoy the tube sound as do people hearing me, so I had to choose this specific DAC for all of the right I/O's.

I mentioned the microphone situation because I'm not getting any signal from the mic either, and I was just using a different DAC yesterday with this setup working perfectly fine. All I have changed is the DAC, and it has 10ohms of output impedance for headphones which is right on target. I have tried using another pair of headphones with 64ohms and it still didn't work.

I'd appreciate a brief rundown as to why this isn't working, as I've seen so many other people drive digital signals from the sound card to their external DAC doing everything I have just mentioned. The microphone issue is the second part of this, but if anyone could even solve the first one I'd be happy.

Thanks!

 

[PENG]

I have a Xonar DGX in my computer and a Behringer FCA610 as the external, but I can't seem to get any sound no matter what I try. I have an SPDIF outputting from the sound card and obviously inputting to the FCA610. I have the sound card as the default device in windows, and I have the SPDIF out option checked in the Xonar DGX Audio Center app.

I'm of course trying to drive digital signal (emulated surround sounds) through my headphones (DT 770 80ohm),which are connected to the FCA610's headphone output. The SPDIF cable does appear to work properly, since the small red light is visible before connecting it to the FCA610. The FCA610's optical LED indicator also appears solid without flashing, meaning it has connection proper connection.

Another thing to point out, is that I chose this DAC simply because it had the proper I/O's for microphones. It has 2 direct inputs on the front and 4 TRS inputs on the back, and I use 1 backside TRS input to have my tube preamp connected, with the mic into the tube pre. It's a bit of a chain but I enjoy the tube sound as do people hearing me, so I had to choose this specific DAC for all of the right I/O's.

I mentioned the microphone situation because I'm not getting any signal from the mic either, and I was just using a different DAC yesterday with this setup working perfectly fine. All I have changed is the DAC, and it has 10ohms of output impedance for headphones which is right on target. I have tried using another pair of headphones with 64ohms and it still didn't work.

I'd appreciate a brief rundown as to why this isn't working, as I've seen so many other people drive digital signals from the sound card to their external DAC doing everything I have just mentioned. The microphone issue is the second part of this, but if anyone could even solve the first one I'd be happy.

Thanks!

The FCA610 is not really a dedicated external DAC, it has many connections. Are you sure you selected the correct input and using the right kind of connectors?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

http://www.fullcompass.com/common/files/21129-BehringerFCASeriesBrochure.pdf
The optical ports aren't made to be used alone, but with their external dac ADA8000. This is likely why optical spdif doesn't work for you.
Have you tried connecting it to your usb or firewire port if you got one ? Make sure to install the driver though.
btw: I recently bought UMC404HD usb dac and it works really well for me.

edit: you most likely won't be able to use both Xonar (for surround gaming effects) together with your legacy behringer dac. Pick one. Pretty sure your mics don't get captured to your pc for same reason as stated above.

 

[slipperybidness]

@greggreggreg
BSA is likely pointing you the right direction on Post #3 above.

However, I wanted to be sure that you understand--Using the optical connection out from your fancy (i.e. $$$) Xonar completely defeats the point of the Xonar (i.e. a waste of $$$). You are not using the Xonar DAC.

If you are running an optical out, then you are passing the digi signal out. At that point, you are just as good to use the MOBO optical out (if you have it), or HDMI digi out, or even just a cheapy sound card with an optical output would suffice.

Or, just get your $ out of the Xonar and use its analog outs.

 

[greggreggreg]

I'm going to reply to everyone in one post, if that's alright.

I'm aware of all of the above suggestions, and the connections are all connected properly without a doubt. I also had the USB plugged in with the drivers installed, and a very barebones app came with it that allowed me to change the sample rate and clock source, everything else was just a list of ports available to connect to with no options other than renaming them. I have cycled through every device in my playback devices with USB connected as well, but still no luck.

I am choosing to use the sound card (only $45 btw) specifically for the digital surround sound and not the DAC intentionally. I originally had my headphones to my sound card because my previous external DAC didn't have enough output impedance for either of my headphones. It only had a USB and coax inputs, but I've decided I want to use SPDIF. It was super cheap and it was pretty much only used to run my tube pre into it. I no longer want to use my sound card as my DAC anymore because I'm trying to eliminate the static feedback from having audio connections inside my pc. I bought the FCA610 so that I could have everything setup outside, while still being able to utilize the surround sound emulators from my Xonar app. The app also has a pretty well made Auto Echo Cancellation for when I'm using my Mic on discord and such.

As far as it not having a dedicated DAC and it not being able to use optical alone, I didn't know that. If the solution is to return it and get a different one then I'm perfectly fine doing so. But how would I know that it will be able to use SPDIF alone? And what would you suggest?

My criteria is:
SPDIF in and out
TRS in and out, unless preamp is good enough to replace my cheap behringer tube preamp, if so then it needs XLR of couse.
Headphone out obviously, with at least 10ohms output
I'm sure most mics are easily powered, but just in case mine is 200ohms output
$200 price range

Thanks for your replies too, the last 2 forums I got literally no responses.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I also had the USB plugged in with the drivers installed, and a very barebones app came with it that allowed me to change the sample rate and clock source, everything else was just a list of ports available to connect to with no options other than renaming them. I have cycled through every device in my playback devices with USB connected as well, but still no luck.

I am not quite following you here. Then you connected the Behringer interface using usb - were you able to output sound to speakers and/or headphones? Did your microphones work?

As far as it not having a dedicated DAC and it not being able to use optical alone, I didn't know that. If the solution is to return it and get a different one then I'm perfectly fine doing so. But how would I know that it will be able to use SPDIF alone? And what would you suggest?
My criteria is:
SPDIF in and out
TRS in and out, unless preamp is good enough to replace my cheap behringer tube preamp, if so then it needs XLR of couse.
Headphone out obviously, with at least 10ohms output
I'm sure most mics are easily powered, but just in case mine is 200ohms output
$200 price range
Thanks for your replies too, the last 2 forums I got literally no responses.

TSR in/out ? Do you mean you need simply balanced analog audio or do you need XLR for phantom 48v microphones?
Do you feel that current Behringer is not good enough to power your headphones? Tube pre-amp will distort the sound, which some people like.
Have you looked at
FOCUSRITE SCARLETT 2I2 ? Here are it's measurements: https://johnr.hifizine.com/2012/09/focusrite-scarlett-2i2-measurements/
I also think that you need is a small mixer, not another dac. Your Xonar would output analog signal to a mixer, and your mics would be fed to a mixer which would feed again analog back to xonar analog inputs.
As long as you use shielded rca cables - you should be fine regarding possible noise.

 

[greggreggreg]

Yes I had the USB connected and it still did not work.

I do need balanced audio signals (forgot about that) ,but I need them to be in the form of TRS because of my current cables, or the typical XLR if the dedicated preamp is good enough to remove my tube preamp. My Mic to tube preamp is already xlr to xlr so I have that cable. My tube preamp cable is xlr to TRS, which is why I'm looking for that balanced TRS port.

If you haven't noticed by now, I'm simply looking to swap the audio interface and nothing more, unless of course the dedicated preamp is good enough to remove the tube preamp. I would much rather prefer to have less of a chain, but it can be expensive to have everything you want in one piece of equipment, hence why the tube pre is there to begin with, plus it was suggested to me before I knew anything.

A mixer isn't necessary since I've seen plenty of people do what I'm doing with ease, my choice of interface just seems to be the issue here.

I appreciate your suggestions, but I'm trying to stick to this setup considering I already have it. The interface you linked is almost exactly what I need, it's just missing an SPDIF input. I'm also only using this setup for music, games, movies, and voice communication apps. The Xonar's settings app is pretty decent as well, and it has what I need.

I know what to search for in order to find what I need, I just don't know the specifics on how to tell if the interface can use optical alone.

If worse comes to worst, I'll definitely settle for that USB dac, because I don't want to be scouring the internet for weeks while my new headphones collect dust lol. Haven't even gotten to test them yet.

If possible, can I get a brief rundown on how to tell if optical can be used without an external dac? I would assume it's more than just looking at the .pdf manual, but maybe not.

Thanks again!

 

[greggreggreg]

After doing some research, I see that finding a DAC/headphone amp mixed with a mic preamp is rare, and especially with spdif, but correct me if I'm wrong. I may have to get 2 separate pieces in order to achieve my goal.

I guess my tube pre served an actual purpose rather than being entirely redundant. Maybe I'll hold onto it and just get a regular dac to replace my current cheap interface. I wasn't aware that dacs and mic preamps aren't usual pieces of equipment.

I'll have to find a dac that has ports to accept my tube pre, and hopefully it will have an spdif input. Actually, will that even work correctly? Will the Mic signal be sent from the tube pre to the dac and then to the PC? Or is a different path required? Maybe my current cheap interface can help?

As an example, would the setup have to be Mic>tube pre>interface>dac/amp>soundcard>PC? This seems like it would be the proper assembly, but again I don't know for sure on how to chain the Mic pre to the dac without some sort of interface in-between. For clarification, my current cheap dac only has 1 pair of BNC ports. I'm not sure that the USB would chain a dac and interface, seems unlikely considering that an analog signal is being transferred from the interface to the dac. Or maybe it will work, since the interface must have an ADC if my Mic and preamp are connected to it via analog and outputting through USB to my PC.

I'm in a new territory as of now lol, so I'm just spitballing here.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I'm in a new territory as of now lol, so I'm just spitballing here.

This much is clear. I am confident that you're unlikely going to find a device you're looking, surely not at your budget.
I am done here. Like I said, your best route forward is an analog mixer. listen to me or not. I'm outa here.best of luck.

 

[greggreggreg]

Thanks, I've figured out the solution. I don't know why I assumed that the dac/amp had to be connected to the interface.

I can just have a 2nd chain from sound card to dac/amp to headphones, while the first chain is just Mic to pre amp to interface to pc. This will cost relatively the same amount, maybe 50 bucks more at most.

This should in fact do the trick.

 

[Victor rODRIGUEZ]

[QUOTE = "greggreggreg, post: 1253338, member: 85837"] Tengo un Xonar DGX en mi computadora y un Behringer FCA610 como externo, pero parece que no hay sonido de audio para sonido sin importar lo que intento. Tengo una salida SPDIF de la tarjeta de sonido y, obviamente, la entrada a la FCA610. Tengo la tarjeta de sonido como el dispositivo predeterminado en Windows, y tengo la opción SPDIF de salida de marca en la aplicación Xonar DGX Audio Center.

Por supuesto, los efectos envolventes emulados son a través de mis auriculares (DT 770 80ohm), que están conectados a la salida de auriculares del FCA610. El cable SPDIF parece funcionar correctamente, ya que la pequeña luz roja es visible antes de conectarlo al FCA610. El indicador LED óptico del FCA610 también aparece sólido sin parpadear, lo que significa que tiene una conexión adecuada.

Otra cosa para señalar, es que elegí este DAC simplemente porque tenía las E / S adecuadas para micrófonos. Tiene 2 entradas directas en la parte frontal y 4 entradas TRS en la parte posterior, y utilizo 1 entrada trasera TRS para conectar el preamplificador de mi tubo, con el micrófono en el preamplificador. Es un poco como una cadena, pero disfruto el sonido del tubo al igual que la gente me escucha, así que tuve que elegir este DAC específico para todas las E / S correctas.

Mencioné la situación del micrófono porque tampoco recibí ninguna señal del micrófono, y ayer estaba usando un DAC diferente con esta funcionando perfectamente bien. Todo lo que ha cambiado es el DAC, y tiene 10 ohmios de impedancia de salida para auriculares que está justo en el objetivo. Él intentado usar otro par de auriculares con 64 ohmios y todavía no funcionó.

Agradecer un breve resumen de qué es esto no funciona, ya que ha visto a muchas otras personas que conducen digitalmente desde la tarjeta de sonido a su DAC que está haciendo todo lo que acabo de mencionar. El problema del micrófono es la segunda parte de esto, pero sí lo puede resolver el primero, sería feliz.

¡Gracias! [/ QUOTE]
También tengo un asus xonar conectado a un amplificador, si trato de pasarlo a través del DAC externo no suena para nada, creo que tiene que ver con la tarjeta que ya está haciendo la conversión A / D. Debe elegir qué dispositivo desea convertir en analógico / digital si se trata de la tarjeta, sin pasar por el dac, si desea utilizar el cable dac a usb desde la computadora hasta el dac y tener los controladores instalados.

 

[Victor rODRIGUEZ]

si tu dac tiene una entrada analógica, sácala a través del audio de la tarjeta y deja que el dac haga el resto