Complicated speaker problem

[Varmann]

I thought this would be simple, but ...

I have:
A new Mac Studio, sound out: a simple headphone jack or TB/USB
OWC dock: TB ports, USB, headphone jack and an optical s/pdif output
A pair of Argon Fenris A4 speakers with inputs: analog RCA, optical s/pdif, HDMI, BT and one Phono RCA, no headphone jack(!) .
A pair of Sony MDR 7506 headphones.

I want to be able to get sound to my speakers and be able to easily change to my headphones without changing cables. Hopefully with a digital signal path to the speakers without using a headphone jack. I have pretty bad earlier experience with BT so that is a last resort.

I have tried the following:
* I use the HDMI 2.1 to my display, and a USB-C to HDMI cable did not work with the speakers, at least I tried.

* S/pdif works nice with the speakers for most things, VLC and music, but with browser(vivaldi)/youtube the volume is limited to max or mute. If I try to combine S/pdif with the headset (both connected to the dock), I can change the source with the speaker remote. But after 10-15 min the speakers suddenly blasts to life (automatic source recognition?) and I get sound from both outputs, until I reclaim the headphone output with the remote. I might have tried instead putting headphones to the Mac output, but it did not seem worth it due to other s/pdif issues.

* Headphone jack from the Mac to speakers, and headphones from jack on the dock works pretty well, but changing source involves some fiddling with both the speaker remote and the OS sound settings.

Could I do better or should I settle with this?

 

[salamanderjuice]

I thought this would be simple, but ...

I have:
A new Mac Studio, sound out: a simple headphone jack or TB/USB
OWC dock: TB ports, USB, headphone jack and an optical s/pdif output
A pair of Argon Fenris A4 speakers with inputs: analog RCA, optical s/pdif, HDMI, BT and one Phono RCA, no headphone jack(!) .
A pair of Sony MDR 7506 headphones.

I want to be able to get sound to my speakers and be able to easily change to my headphones without changing cables. Hopefully with a digital signal path to the speakers without using a headphone jack. I have pretty bad earlier experience with BT so that is a last resort.

I have tried the following:
* I use the HDMI 2.1 to my display, and a USB-C to HDMI cable did not work with the speakers, at least I tried.

* S/pdif works nice with the speakers for most things, VLC and music, but with browser(vivaldi)/youtube the volume is limited to max or mute. If I try to combine S/pdif with the headset (both connected to the dock), I can change the source with the speaker remote. But after 10-15 min the speakers suddenly blasts to life (automatic source recognition?) and I get sound from both outputs, until I reclaim the headphone output with the remote. I might have tried instead putting headphones to the Mac output, but it did not seem worth it due to other s/pdif issues.

* Headphone jack from the Mac to speakers, and headphones from jack on the dock works pretty well, but changing source involves some fiddling with both the speaker remote and the OS sound settings.

Could I do better or should I settle with this?

One option is a USB DAC. You can find ones that have optical out and a headphone jack. For example:

Sound Blaster X4

Shop online at the Creative Store (Pan Euro). Earn member's points and enjoy free shipping on orders €99 and above!

ca.creative.com

EDIT: Not sure if that one has automatic headphone switching.

 

[Varmann]

Thanks for the input, I will consider that route.

Do not need automatic headphone switching, but at least just either a single button or a single app control.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Hard to say what I'd recommend not knowing exactly how all the inputs on those things compare…with both sound and how controls work.

 

[Varmann]

Well, how the sound works seems a bit convoluted. The manuals do not necessarily provide much guidance.

I am doing a five year shake up of my computer setup. Trying to reduce cable clutter in the process and giving my wife a nice gaming setup, donating my gaming-pc, old speakers combined with my old mac-mini as media server.

My self I combine the Mac Studio and record player with a my linux mini work-pc, sharing display and keyboard. I have the past years reduced my previous massive setup, external sound card, large amplifier, cable network box (not used in ten years) sharing display and speakers with three computers etc. A bit overkill and a huge space hog. I have now reduced the need for power outlets with almost half, but still use 11, including one UPS.

The reason I choose the Argon speakers was that I was looking for compact active speakers with phono input (to be able to skip the separate preamp). They seemed to have 3 potential digital inputs (s/pdif, hdmi and bluetooth), but no USB or headphone jack (which were on my wishlist). But no speakers I went through had it all, USB, Phono in, and headphone jack. Speakers with headphone jack could probably solve it, just put the jack in and the sound switches instantaneously, but no ones seemed available that also had phono in.

Not the first time solutions I need seem to be very marginal ones. 15 years ago I read about the Kaleidescape media servers ($20 000 upwards), and tried to build something similar with my MacPro as centerpiece, covering two separate rooms with different output sources. I asked Apple, high end hifi providers and different net forums but got little input. I got it together, it worked well but was utterly complex. I am now removing the last pieces of that maximalistic approach.

 

[Ray2]

I second the DAC. Use your network to get the digital data to it. I’ve used DAC's as well as Airport Expresses. There are similar, cheap, products to the AEX's.

 

[Varmann]

Thanks for the advice!

I will probably go the dac route. The X4 seems like a decent choice, maybe a bit expensive and with loads of features I do not use, but no need for an extra power supply is a very good thing. I will see what other alternatives there are.

Hopefully Creative is better now than when I used their products last time, 20+ years ago. At that time their pretty expensive sound card did not work with dual CPU pc's. Not easy to find that in the documentation.

 

[Varmann]

Topping DX3 Pro+ looks like a good dac. It has, almost, all that I want and not much more. Only thing I miss is a more modern USB port which also provided power. Another pesky power unit, sigh. But I as I understand high end audio combined with power cords is a no-no. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pping-dx3-pro-review-dac-headphone-amp.27148/

Edit: Guess Topping E2x2 is even better for me, cheaper and can be powered by USB-C.

 

[Varmann]

Topping DX3 Pro+ looks like a good dac. It has, almost, all that I want and not much more. Only thing I miss is a more modern USB port which also provided power. Another pesky power unit, sigh. But I as I understand high end audio combined with power cords is a no-no. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pping-dx3-pro-review-dac-headphone-amp.27148/

Edit: Guess Topping E2x2 is even better for me, cheaper and can be powered by USB-C.

I finally got the Topping E2x2 and I am very satisfied. For me it is perfect.