Injecting one sub to Benchmark system…

I was in this situation in about 2006 with a dac1 and a sub.  The new models may be different but I thought back then that I really lost something by having the DAC output going to both an amplifier and a sub.  I'd at least experiment with getting an adapter and running the sub from the headphone out.  I eventually got a regular preamp and I thought that was a substantial improvement in definition through most of the frequency spectrum.  I'd also experiment going power amp to sub because that definitely won't take away from the low level signal that is easy to mess up.  

I think the time has arrived for people to experiment with cheap performance oriented electronics.  I've recently bought a couple of <$150 Schiit products and they're great.  At work I have a Fiio x7 to Schiit Magni+ powering DCA Aeon Noires and it's great.  Nothing about that setup bothers me and I'm pretty easily bothered.  If a preamp died on me I would not hesitate to try a $599 Freya S.  

Hi Jon…that’s a new one for me - running from headphone out!

im still in the very early stages and want to work with what I have right now.

I have been reading a lot of good things regarding these Schiit products. Funny, the DAC 3 has a great reputation but when I plugged my headphones in i was surprised that I much prefer my Ifi Gryphon portable amp/DAC. I think the Benchmark might sound a bit too clinical for me but I’ve yet to try this with a pair of HD800s headphones I have coming. So far I’m much preferring what I hear from my headphones and Gryphon over the Benchmark audio set-up. Still, I have work to do dialing this system in.

@thomastrouble I also didn’t like the headphone amp sound of DAC 3 HGC. It was too clinical for me as well. 
As far as sub connection, what @m-db said. 

Benchmark runs both XLR and RCA outputs at the same time. You can use one of those to the subs and the other to your amp. You can also go in and adjust the voltage of the XLR with the pads to match the RCA voltage if you need to use an XLR to RCA adapter. It is clear in the manual how to adjust them 

@james633 is absolutely correct, and I’ve been using this exact configuration for quite some time with dual passive TV-12 Ultra drivers.

Those darn XLR Attenuator pads / jumpers I have moved around more then I’d care to admit. It has been a while though, but by golly, it’s fun to play.

:-)