morpenI would get the Magni 2, then. I have one, and it's more powerful than the O2 (Magni 2 with 1.2W RMS at 32 ohms, O2 with 0.613W at 33 ohms).
Not that it matters much since both pretty much do the same thing, but depending on where you get the O2 it might be more expensive than the Magni 2. Here on Massdrop, the current desktop O2 (with rear rca and power port) costs $95, whereas the Magni 2 that costs $100 + S/H/T by default comes with only the headphone jack and the volume knob in the front, where everything else (power port, power switch, gain switch, and rca inputs) are in the back.
And the Magni 2 just looks sexier. But that's an aesthetics thing.
WaddleIt's what I'm gonna get. My PC has a fairly cheap motherboard, so I doubt the internal DAC is that great. The E10K isn't a great amp or a great DAC, but it should be enough to get the job done. Down the road, if I ever feel a need to upgrade, I can.
t1m1dThat's fine if your device has an analog line out. It's AC powered, not USB bus powered, so you'll be tethered to the wall. Specs don't list output impedance and it seems to run into current limiting below 600 ohms (notice how power output drops sharply at 300 ohms). Personally I'd spend a little more for a Massdrop O2. If your onboard audio is noisy then an external DAC is recommended as well.
smsl-audio.com/index.php?c=msg&id=1297&
OcticepsAlright, I guess I'll just settle for the fulla. I'd rather not spend that much but I suppose it's worth it. Now to find a cheap microphone for gaming. Thanks for the help!