The All Purpose Advice Thread

I have Cambridge Audio Minx 10 but hoping for better some day. 86dB (2.83 Vrms input), 8ohms, 25-200W.

 

I'm all thumbs when it comes to electronics. Heck! I touch a wire and it goes bad hate to imagine what would happen with active components.

 

With those speakers you aren’t losing anything with the NAD3020. No fuss quick decent and tiny solution.

 

I dunno. The Minx show some difference between a Parasound Zamp, a Chinese NAP250, Wadia 151 and Chinese no-name. I certainly don't need a Benchmark, for sure.

The Zamp is a pain because of how the speaker jacks are laid out and its audio detection circuit doesn't. The Chinese NAP250 died after 2-3 weeks but sounded good but was a little too big, the Wadia is lacking in bass relative the Zamp/NAP250 and the no-name has zero imaging capability.

Hence my desire for class A/B.

I don't know if Darko's opinion holds much sway here but he says Wadia > NAD.

 

I wonder what this one sounds like

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/micromega-myamp-dac-integrated-amplifier/

 

Never tried Wadia. Can’t help there. But reviews of the DAC part need to be excluded if you’re only using the amp. I consider NAD’s house sound to be very warm. If he says the Wadia has more bass, I’d be skeptical of sketchy, overly warm tuning.

Buy one or both from a place you can return if you dislike it.

 

I'm considering picking up this:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pri...d-moon-audio-silver-dragon-usb-cables.875979/

Any thoughts on it? vs the EITR which is my alternate choice?

 

That would be more akin to the Wyrd since it's a de-crappifier, the Eitr is an USB to Coax interface.
I wish I could say more, but I haven' heard any of them (but I'm thinking about an Eitr for myself)

 

Serious question:

I have been trying to sell my Audio-GD C-2C amp for a couple of weeks now. I won't post the links, but I have not received any response from here or HF, until the other day. A guy offered to trade his built Dyalo amp in a straight up trade.

Now, I don't NEED an amp with my MCTH or my Valhalla 2, but it would be nice to have a dedicated amp to all three headphones (HD650, T20 v2, and D2000 (yes, mid-fi heaven)).

I do not know much about the Dynalo. It seems to get mixed reviews and I will note this build has a torodial transformer and regulated power supply (no SMPS). I have heard a DIY Dynahi and it was very mid-centric, but also one that was very detailed and open sounding, but then again that was on mostly AKG headphones on an NAD DAC, so it was already starting from mid + mid.

So I just wanted to hear from anyone with Dynalo experience what is it all about? Having trouble finding reviews.

Of course I am thinking it would not be an upgrade, but a side grade obviously, but might it be worth the trade - Chi-fi for DIY?

 

Besides headphones, I also dabble in electronics music production and DJ-ing.

I recently acquired these Pioneer XDJ players. The top of the line Pioneers come with respectable DACs (Wolfson) and are lauded for their sound quality, but I can't help but feel there's something lacking in the output of these guys. Quite flat, lacking in dynamics and low extension. Luckily they have COAX SPDIF out!

Any advice for low-ish cost, barebones COAX SPDIF to RCA DACs?

• < 200$ preferred
• COAX digital in
• RCA out
• ideally a nice hot signal out --> 2V at least
• it only needs to support 44/16, not no super duper high res requirements.

Thanks!

NOTE: please remove the copy post from the Dac talk thread. My post should go in this thread.

 

What kind is it? The original or the Mk2 which is balanced? They are totally different. My main amp is a DIY Dynalo Mk2 mini which I built myself.

I find that it is an extremely clean amp and a few other people that have tried it have given me positive comments as well. A fellow audiophile family member thought it was so good that I am building one for him too. On Innerfidelity Bob Katz has a review for a beefier version then what I use, but should nearly be the same topology. The desktop amps at Headamp are Dynalo varients as well and it's likely your best bet to find reviews of this type of amp.

 

Used (or new $249) Schiit Modi Multibit. Can’t speak to signal strength. Probably only pro-audio is going to give you 2V. DAC2 from Benchmark is my thinking there, but too expensive.

 

Modi Multibit is 2v RMS, as per spec sheet. D-S Modi is 1.5v RMS.

 

Thanks. I will check that out. It's the early non-balanced version with both amps on one single board. The balanced versions do look pretty great.

 

I've heard that the Lyr 3 with new production Tung-Sol tubes works well with the HD650 (and likely HD6xx as well), but can the same be said for the TH-X00 Ebony? Kinda tempted to scupper plans to save up for a TOTL tube amp for now because the new Lyr seems right up my alley, besides having just the one tube to worry about. Also, finances (sigh).

Thinking LISST might be mandatory to keep the Fostex's lower end from going all flabby? Preferences are a polite treble (though I can tolerate some hotness) with full-bodied vocals and a tight lower end that has volume. Will be pairing with a Bifrost Multibit Gen 5 out of my PC. Only amp I have at the moment is an HP-V1 hybrid tube amp, and I do like how it pairs with the Fostexes, quite a bit less so with the HD650.

Soundstage size not as important as having crisp imaging, but not a fan of claustrophobic staging either.

I'm also open to DIY tube amp options around the same price range! Relatively inexperienced but think it'd make for a nice side project during term break My only real concern is that these usually have higher output impedances than can be sanely recommended for the TH-x00.

P.S.
Was curious about how the Senns and Fostexes compared so did a quick overlay. This kinda explains why I like both, haha! Fostexes would be perfect for me save for the upper treble spike.

HD6XX (blue+maroon) v. TH-X00 (red+green)

 

Thanks guys. Yes, Modi MB fits the description but feels over kill. Isn't there a barebones DAC that offers good quality sound with high output for less? This is not for super critical listening.

It can be something older, given that it's coaxial, not USB, I was wondering if there's some old school models that would fit the description.

 

Probably not, cheap DACs output at 1.5V RMS because it's the max the chips can output without having to add additonal circuitry, which would make the DACs more expensive.

 

Interesting, I hadn't thought of it like that before.

For reference, the top of the line in this series of products is AK4490 based.
https://www.akm.com/akm/en/aboutus/news/20160119AK4490PioneerDJ_001/

EDIT: how about the DACMagic 100. WM8740 based, nice hot 2.3Vrms output! Good specs.

 

I found a couple optical options but no coax. Still, i don't think the Wolfson implementation is anything to dismiss given that its a high-end audio appliance.

You could try the JustBoom DAC and get a cheap case for it

https://www.justboom.co/product/justboom-dac/

Uses a pcm5102 chip and has a 2V output. The pcm5xxx chips I've heard so far have been pretty good and at this price it seems worth a try. The implementation is hard to screw up since the outputs are directly from the chip. They use one in the highly regarded Allo Boss DAC for Raspberry Pi and the Meridian Explorer 2(which i own).

 

@TomHP I had replied to you yesterday on the DAC thread from your original post. Perhaps you overlooked it?