Not a lot of DAC talk on here...

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by The Alchemist, Oct 10, 2015.

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  1. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    What sort of balanced DS DACs are worth looking at besides the Emotiva DC-1 and the Schiit Gungnir?
     
  2. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Maybe look for some writeups of the NAD C 510.
     
  3. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I was thinking more in the <$500 range. For the price of C 510 I can get a Gungnir MB or Soerkris. Maybe the DC-1 is as low as it gets.
     
  4. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    or an rme adi-2 dac...which seems hot these days.
     
  5. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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  6. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Any issue with using an RCA y-splitter to feed two DACs an SPDIF signal?
     
  7. lm4der

    lm4der A very good sport - Friend

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    Has anyone here heard either of the Topping DACs, the D30 or D50?
     
  8. bengo

    bengo Friend

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    You can find my impressions here of one moderate priced DAC using the same CS4398 as the D30 (TL;DR - it was truly terrible), and multiple expensive DACs using the ESS Sabre family like the D50 (TL;DR - treble timbre issues or, at best, uninspiring).

    If you're looking for something at lower priced, I would recommend either Modi Multibit or, if you want to go the delta-sigma route, avoid CS and ESS. Wolfson stuff seems to be also overly warm / lacking upper end detail. I quite like some of the TI/Burr Brown implementations I heard. I think @purr1n recommended one of the Douk Audio (AKA 'Nobsound' - no, seriously) units which are, like Topping, cheap and made in China. Schiit also uses AKM in their non-multibit range, so they're probably decent, but haven't heard anything with AKM personally.
     
  9. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    @lm4der

    I owned the D30, wonky treble which at first might seem revealing, but the kicker is it clipped on some bass notes, not recommeded. And unlike some, do not blame it on the chip. I have a dac that is very good with cs4398 albeit, 15 times the cost.

    Best dac near that price for me is the JDS El Dac. At $249 or so it is much more neutral and with an excellent usb implementation. Beats all the lower end Schiit dacs that I have owned.
     
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Maybe time for a a cheap DAC review / comparison / loaner.

    Topping
    JDS
    iFi
    Schiit
    Grace
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2018
  11. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Let's add grace design. Sdac is worth joining in the contest.
     
  12. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    If only they would have another drop
     
  13. bengo

    bengo Friend

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    Throw 'em all in a loaner mystery box.
     
  14. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    I borrowed a D10 for a few days; compared to JDS element (DAC section) and Gungnir Multibit. D10 isn't bad for $80, better than the DAC section of the Element. Sins of omission kinda thing. Not great microdynamics and a bit anemic. The D10 was thoroughly routted by the Gungnir Multibit (obviously), especially in the bass, and it's shortcomings were more evident on my speaker rig. However, the D10 did leave me interested to hear the D50, simply because the D10 didn't have much of the Sabre Glare™ at all. If D50 = D10 with some balls, it could be not shit.
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Interesting that the D50 uses dual ESS chips yet only has RCA outputs. I'm sure there's still benefits to using the chips in mono mode though.
     
  16. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Have somewhat similar impression. D10 was listenable and not very annoying. But Fulla2 (I kinda prefer fulla2 to 4490 module v1 in jot) easily bested D10 (and D30).. And these two are sold at very similar prices.
     
  17. TomHP

    TomHP Facebook Friend

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    [​IMG]

    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!
     
  18. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    You probably have a lot of fun with this setup, eh?

    I almost wanted to say iFi iDSD LE, but this one doesn't have coax in. It looks like $99 Schiit Modi 2 has everything you need, I think. Not sure about those 2V, though. Someone should confirm.
     
  19. lm4der

    lm4der A very good sport - Friend

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    Modi 2 and Modi 2 Uber: 1.5V RMS
    Modi Multibit: 2.0V RMS
     
  20. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    It would have to be the $149 Modi 2 Uber specifically, since the $99 Modi is USB only. But as previously mentioned, Schiit state it is only 1.5V out.

    Modi Multibit meets the need, but it's $249 (unless you can find used.)

    Other than that, I've seen some very inexpensive DACs from FX Audio that have Coax inputs and 2V output like the X6: https://www.amazon.com/FX-Audio-Optical-Coaxial-Amplifier/dp/B072JJT7SF

    Ive never heard one however. I believe @bixby may have had an X3, he may be able to offer an opinion.

    EDIT: Forgot about the Cambridge DacMagic 100 as well - although it also uses Wolfson DACs (which i kinda like the sound of personally) - looks like it has 2.3V output.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2018
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