Pentaconn gang represent

A good combined amp/dac can be quite good, but depends on the product of course. The K5 Pro served me well, but it was a much better amp than it was a DAC haha. Definitely benefited from a better standalone DAC later, but I don't regret it as an entry-level unit for my HD 650. A combined unit is mostly for convenience and might be cheaper than separate units.

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>would you say r/AVexchange is a good place to look for used ones to pick up ?

Not sure, never visited that sub. I usually buy my audio stuff from Amazon or another site with a good return policy, in case I don't like it or it doesn't work as well as I thought it would. Have found good deals before on refurbished units. You could check a manufacturer's website for b-stock (items others bought but returned), for example.

Those M1 macs definitely have good DACs and decent enough amps, enough to get good sound out of those 660s (which seems like what you're getting!). If you're getting static at higher volumes, it definitely sounds like a bad dac/amp in your desktop motherboard.

Basically what you're likely hearing is electrostatic interference from the other electronics in your PC. An external dac/amp shields your audio from a lot of that interference. Also, the amp in your desktop may just be weak, or it may be a line out and not a headphone out. A line out is a very weak signal intended for further amplification.

Regardless, a dac/amp for your desktop definitely would not hurt! If I were you, I'd get one at some point. Generally, an amp is more important than a dac, but in your case, an external dac might help if the static/noise you're hearing really is from electronic interference.

You can get a dac/amp combo, which is convenient for a lot of people. I used to use a Fiio K5 Pro ($150) with my HD 650, and I'm sure they have never versions of those. They also have the E10K ($80) which is a bit cheaper and more portable. Though it's somewhat old now, so might be better options nowadays.

Schiit is also a popular option, with the Schiit Magni/Modi stack being a popular recommendation. I've used a Schiit Magni Heresy (amp) and can definitely vouch for it. I've also seen people recommend the Audioquest Dragonfly dac/amps, but I've never used those myself. And the JDS Labs Atom stack is a staple around here too. A Schiit Magni/Modi or JDS Labs Atom Dac/Amp stack could easily be all you ever need, plenty of power and very accurate measurement-wise. This option is ~$200 total for both a dac and an amp. Or $100 for each component separately based on your need.