DAC recommendations

[bmwr75]

What is your source?  If it is a computer, a USB DAC will work fine ans are pretty cheap.  Google Audioquest Dragonfly.

[RuralTom]

Source would be one of my older CD players.  From a couple of articles I've read online, it sounds like a good quality converter might be a good upgrade for overall source quality..... just not sure if that would actually be audible enough to make a difference?

[bmwr75]

What is your budget?

[RuralTom]

$300 -ish.  I was considering a DACmagic, but then also stumbled on the Grant Fidelity model that I then cross-referenced back here. 

[bmwr75]

This Emotiva XDA-2 is a lot of DAC for the money.  Free shipping and generous 30 day return policy.

http://shop.emotiva.com/products/xda2

I have the older XDA-1 model and like it.

[bmwr75]

The Schiit Bifrost also gets lots of good reviews and is $90 more.

http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

[OldiesButGoodies]

My experience with the DACMagic was  not great.  The Oppo DVD/CD and the Phillips CD-80 sounded better,  and, eventually, so did the Focusrite 2i2. 

[RuralTom]

The big question, in my mind, becomes whether or not an external DAC -especially at this price point- will really make much of a difference?  Should I be blowing small piles of cash on these sorts of things, or saving for something amazing down the road?  Alas, funds are finite....

[OldiesButGoodies]

I think there are tons of fun to be had at this price range.  Depends on what makes you tick.  I enjoy testing/trying equipment out,  and so I buy DACs and sell them on if not happy with them or need new functionality.  Some old DACs sound pretty good - Rev has a PS Audio DAC from the 90s that sounds scary good.  But it handles only basic digital formats. 

I think it also depends on where you get your music from.  If you are interested in listening to hi-res files from HD Tracks or Acoustic Sounds,  an older DAC may not work.  Right now I am using the Focusrite 2i2,  which only handles up to 96/24 files,  so that is what I get from HD Tracks if I buy. With 2i2 I can record vinyl straight to digital at high resolution,  something only (or mostly) pro-audio DACs do, but since I like  that functionality, that is a great DAC for me. 

Note that music is now available in SDS format - the newest highest res format.  It requires a new generation of DACs and software to work with them.  Read up on that if you are interested in it.  I listened to a demo and it came pretty close to making vinyl sound just ok.

The other thing to keep in mind if you listen to music from your computer through a DAC (or plan to):  iTunes is not the best player out there (and will not play all formats).  I am using Jriver and that made a big difference in the sound.  There are threads on that in the archives,  feel free to resurrect - I enjoyed re-reading this one. 

CTD

[bmwr75]

The big question, in my mind, becomes whether or not an external DAC -especially at this price point- will really make much of a difference?  Should I be blowing small piles of cash on these sorts of things, or saving for something amazing down the road?  Alas, funds are finite....

It depends how good (e.g., revealing) the rest of your system is.  It is hard to go wrong with the Emotiva XDA-2.......if you are not happy with it, just send it back.

[RuralTom]

...and here again to resurrect!  LOL.

So...  a number of months ago, I purchased a DacMagic and have used it since streaming from PC > Airport > DAC.   At this point, I'm pretty much using this as my only source.  Haven't had a deek in years, vinyl is good but incredibly inconvenient, a good proportion of my CDs skip and bump and 2 of my 3 CDPs are out of commision... I rip new music to a hard drive and go from there.

So.... looking to see if anyone found something new or interesting, maybe even older that still sound excellent, etc.  I'm leaning towards a PS Audio Nuwave if I buy newer/pricier, but you never know....

In reference to Pepe's comment... I really don't think I -need- a newest generation DAC, I have nothing of sonic quality about standard Apple Lossless rips from CD

[OldiesButGoodies]

I moved the Focusrite to my office at work yo use as a headphone amp/DAC. Great little DAC.   At home I am using the DAC in the Oppo 105,  which is supposed to be great, according to reviews  (to its credit it handles every format out there, including SDS). Alas,  it does not sound that great. My turntable and a good record slaps the Oppo DAC around in resolution, imaging etc.  So I will look to get something else at some point, but right now I have a lot of LPs and tapes to listen to.  Rev has an Arcam DAC (modified power supply) that seems to approach vinyl magic.  Can't remember the model though.

[RuralTom]

I moved the Focusrite to my office at work yo use as a headphone amp/DAC. Great little DAC.   At home I am using the DAC in the Oppo 105,  which is supposed to be great, according to reviews  (to its credit it handles every format out there, including SDS). Alas,  it does not sound that great. My turntable and a good record slaps the Oppo DAC around in resolution, imaging etc.  So I will look to get something else at some point, but right now I have a lot of LPs and tapes to listen to.  Rev has an Arcam DAC (modified power supply) that seems to approach vinyl magic.  Can't remember the model though.

I'm leaning towards an 'antique' PS Audio Digit Digital Link II, I think that may be the one you referenced Rev as having in the original portion of the thread... I dunno if his was modded or not though.  I should have bought it when he had it up for sale.

[OldiesButGoodies]

It sounded really good to me and he liked it enough to keep for several years, and he is picky for DACs.  It may not handle some formats but it does the basic job well.


As mentioned earlier,  you can't go wrong with the Emotiva XDAC -they let you try it for 30 days! (return shipping included)

OBG

[Anders]

Years ago I heard a DAC which I thought was pretty good and it had vacuum tubes in it.
I think it was an Audionote.