Switchers - How to properly connect multiple amps to one DAC output

I bought a few passive Nobsound switch boxes on Amazon a few years ago. I sold the XLR one with my Liquid Platinum quite a while ago.
I am now selling my RCA switch box along with my Schiit Loki and the cables. I just don't bother using any of it anymore.

I am currently running four amps, but I use split cables out of my BF2 and they sound fine to me. Of course I do not have golden ears.

 

Of course a switch box is more elegant, but would there be a technical reason to avoid using short XLR extension cables from the backs of the amps to simply make swapping the cables more convenient?

 

Do you mean changing the cable from the back of a DAC to the back of a different amp every time you want to listen to a different amp? That would be a pain in the butt.
I am a bit of an amp collector (read hoarder) and am addicted to variety. I enjoyed the switch boxes, but now that I am down to four amps, I just use two split cables.
One split RCA for my tube amps (Schiit Valhalla 2 and Little Dot MK9).
Then one split XLR cable for my other amps (iFi Pro iCAN and Violectric V220).

On top that I use Hart Audio modular cables. Every amp has an interconnect already in it and I can run a cable from any headphone to any amp. I am addicted to variety, yet Extremely lazy.
Hopefully this link works. I am Shane D, if you have to scroll.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sho...state-no-old-pictures-please.529140/page-2541

 

Do you split near the dac or closer to the amps?

 

The split cables split on the amp ends. I actually I had to buy new cables due the rack that I bought. I used to have them very close together on glass shelves. Once I space them out and have 12 inches in shelf height differences, then I needed longer cables with bigger V-splits.

 

Oh boy. So I have a modius e hooked up to a Midgard via xlr. I have a pietus maximus on the way which would go through the rca outputs on the dac to the pietus. If I’ve read correctly this is a no go or is Schiit’s response saying you can use just what’s there on the dac outputs? Pardon the lack of understanding. I know some amps have passive outputs. Is the daisy chaining regarding those outputs?

 

you can use all the outputs on the DAC at once. You just can’t daisy chain amps via the “pass through” jacks that are often included. They shouldn’t be included because it’s not ok to use them.

so your plan is fine.

 

Reading this statement, I wonder if you intend it to pertain only to the gear mentioned by @Ares5150? Or as a general rule?

I ask because I am doing exactly this in my main system:

• My DAC is the MHDT Labs Orchid, which I had modded by adding a 2nd RCA output.
  
• Both outputs are in use simultaneously. I can't hear any sonic consequence of doing so; the amps sound exactly as they would being the only connected amp
  
  • 1 output goes to the Icon Audio HP8 transformer-coupled tube headphone amp
  • The 2nd output to my amp/preamp of the moment (Audio GD SA31-SE)
  • Both amps work as intended in this arrangement
• The HP8 has a "pass-through" RCA output. At first I didn't use it, but when I finally did (connecting a 3rd amp, the Woo WA3 OTL tube amp) it too worked exactly as intended.
• I have done some quick 'n' dirty testing of the HP8's pass-through by listening to the WA3 via pass-through vs direct connection to the Orchid. I can't hear any difference. So this particular pass through is very transparent.

If I'm doing anything wrong here, I can't detect it, sonically or operationally...

 

Thank you

 

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I quoted some posts above for you by the much more knowledgeable then I @dBel84 from the first page of this thread. It’s not a good idea whet you’re doing but basically might be ok. Or might be a subtle thing you’re not noticing. I linked to some great low expense switchers in the first post I’d recommended getting one but do what you feel is best of course.

 

@Pharmaboy here’s what Schiit has to say about it (from the first post)

 

Ok. If you know what impedance is (how many drop customers do? [they put pass throughs on all their amps]) and you know the impedance of all your amps and you know the max load your specific DAC can handle (never listed, you’d have to contact the manufacturer) then it might be ok.

Really your post is going to lead people on who don’t know enough to figure out if it’s safe or ok and is going to have people just Daisy chaining random amps to whatever DAC they own. The question isn’t “is it physically possible for certain setups” the question is “what is the best practice for the vast majority of audio enthusiasts”.

For the vast majority of people a switcher is the right way to go to be safe and ensure best SQ. It should just be a widely accepted rule to use switchers because the vast majority of audio enthusiasts don’t know enough to figure out if it’s ok with their setup.

This hobby is really more about buying stuff than understanding stuff.

 

Unrelated, but it really bothers me when people put a preamp in front of their headamp(s).

 

Why does it bother you?

 

Because a preamp and a headamp are the same thing (a buffer between a source and a volume pot). Would you put a preamp in front of your preamp? Or a headamp in front of your headamp? If you want specific colorations sure but otherwise it's nonsensical.

 

I don't want to argue with you, please stop shitting all over a thread I put a lot of effort into making to try to help people. You are not informing anyone, you're vaguely contradicting a lot of educated people who have recommended switchers, you waltzed in here wanting to look smart and contradicted an entire thread I actually put a lot of energy into to try to help people because it's not common knowledge that you cant' daisy chain amps given that it seems passive and a lot of. amps have pass throughs, especially the cheap ones that less educated people will buy. You responded to a post by someone who has 3 amps connected to one output on a DAC saying very "smartly" that it's fine to use pass throughs, with a bunch of brief technical stuff that most people won't understand, It's not fine to daisy chain 3 amps to one output on a DAC like @Pharmaboy is doing, he needs a switcher which was the point of this thread and your post leads to thinking he maybe does not. You did not say in your first post which I was responding to that adding one amp was ok but multiple was not (which I have not read anyone else say in this thread.) Your goal was not to inform, but to show off. Your follow up post was better, but you are still contradicting people I trust way more than you.

Sometimes SBAF is about helping people, knowing what they are going to grasp or understand and what they are not going to grasp or understand and sometimes just recommending the best solution for the vast majority of people and giving advice that will help the vast majority of people, It's clear you know a thing or two, I'm glad you have accumulated knowledge about this hobby. But use it to help people, rather than to show us how smart you are so you can be a "Pyrate".

 

Yeah I’ve always read it as folks wanting the coloration, e.g. a tube preamp. Sometimes it’s also meant to “bypass” a “crappy” pot on an existing headamp, although usually I’ve seen people go for a passive pre with fancy stepped attentuation (Khozmo) or an autoformer in those cases, and I agree it’s at best questionable how sensible that is given you’re just adding distortion vs modding the amp with a new pot - no preamp is truly transparent.

 

This thread is old but useful, thanks to everyone who contributed!

I ordered the Mapletree XLR version with 2 in and 3 out, in black with Walnut. I'll report back when I get it, and with some pictures!

I have the One Little Bear MC 103 Pro (Douk) that's been covered here (1 in 3 out). It works, but my OCD got the better of me and it does seem cheaply made. We'll see if I can hear any difference, or it's just placebo/expectation bias at work!

 

I received the Mapletree LR1 Pro Line Router (XLR switch with a fancy name), and thought I'd share some quick impressions and pictures...

I did open it up, but it was late at night and I was impatient to get it hooked up. Sorry, no pics of the inside! It does have very clean point-to-point wiring with silver/copper hybrid wiring, and very nice switches. The outside looks pretty decent, but does have a bit of a made in the garage cobbled together appearance. Not quite "high end", but it's a lot nicer than the One Little Bear switch it replaced.

The $1M question ($290 in this case) question: does it sound any better? Maybe... I feel like there is a slight increase in detail and resolution, but I can't really A/B the boxes. Any improvement could also be expectation bias, IDK.

https://i.imgur.com/hDdmFqi.jpg
https://imgur.com/TNK6vJM