Pre-amp + Audio Interface

[dtguitar17]

I'm new to this forum, so I apologize if this question annoys anyone.

I recently purchased a Parasound Zamp v.3 (http://www.parasound.com/ParasoundZ/zampv3.php). I would like to play all of my computer's audio (regular music playback via foobar2000 and studio monitoring via a DAW) with this amplifier, but I need a pre-amp to drive it.

The Zamp has only gain staging knobs on its rear panel, so right now if I want to adjust the volume I have to fiddle with these tiny knobs independently for each stereo channel; this is a hassle.

I'm searching for a device that connects to a PC via USB or FireWire that can function as a DAC and audio interface for recording.

Many of the interfaces I have looked at have output knobs on their front panels, but the ambiguous specifications listed for these products often lead me to believe that these output knobs serve only to adjust the volume for the headphone jacks, and not for the RCA/TRS output jacks that would connect to my Parasound amp.

In short, I need an audio interface/pre-amp with an output knob on its front panel that would allow me to easily adjust the volume of my playback system without having to touch the gain knobs on my Parasound amp.

Does anyone have a solution?

 

[Ethan Winer]

You should get small format mixer and connect it as shown here as a monitor controller:

Using a Mixer with a DAW

There are many cheap mixers for $100 and even less that will do a great job. Then connect the output of the mixer to your amp's input.

--Ethan

 

[dtguitar17]

There are many cheap mixers for $100 and even less that will do a great job.

--Ethan

Would you mind providing some examples? All of the products I've found have been closer to $200.

I'd like to reiterate that I'm looking for something that will function as my computer's sound card and a pre-amp for my Parasound amp.

The product's ability to function as an audio interface for recording is a secondary feature in my mind, so if I have to sacrifice quality to save money I would prefer to lose recording functionality.

 

[Ethan Winer]

I'm looking for something that will function as my computer's sound card and a pre-amp for my Parasound amp.

Ah, I assumed you already had a functioning sound card. In that case, yeah, $200 and up is more like it. Or buy a separate sound card and mixer which can still be had for under $100 for both.

--Ethan

 

[dtguitar17]

M-Audio FireWire Solo

Thanks for your help, Ethan.

I'm now looking at the M-Audio FireWire Solo. If anyone reading this has any experience with this unit or can answer my questions, I'd really appreciate it.

Can the FireWire Solo act as a dedicated computer soundcard? I would like to play all of my computer's audio through the Solo, such as iTunes music and audio during DVD playback. Can the Solo be used to route my computer's audio to its TRS outputs, or will it accept audio only from a dedicated DAW?

On the rear panel of the Solo, the TRS outputs are labeled as balanced; however, page 18 of the User Guide provided on their website (http://www.m-audio.com/images/global/manuals/FWSolo_UG_EN01.pdf) lists Line Output measurements for both balanced and unbalanced connections:

Max Output (balanced).......+10.2 dBu (2.5 Vrms)
Max Output (unbalanced).....+2.0 dBV (1.26 Vrms)

Additionally, on page 5 of the User Guide, the Line Outputs are described as "balanced/unbalanced analog" outputs.

The input sensitivity on my Parasound amplifier is such that the max output (before clipping) is achieved with 1.5 Volts of input. Thus, if the FireWire Solo's Line Outputs operate under the unbalanced criteria listed in the User Guide, it would act as a perfect preamplifier for my amplifier, as the max output of 1.26 Vrms is very close to the maximum acceptable input for my amplifier.

However, if the FireWire Solo's Line Outputs operate under the balanced criteria listed in the User Guide, I would have to be cautious not to adjust the output volume too high, as this would raise the Line Output max of 2.5 Vrms above my amp's max of 1.5 V, which could cause clipping.

Is there a way to select whether the FireWire Solo outputs balanced or unbalanced audio? Why is it that the outputs are labeled only as balanced, but the User Guide suggests that they are capable of unbalanced output as well?