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Your experience with an inexpensive DAC?

I have a main system and a bedroom system for late night headphone listening.  I have not upgraded my digital end of the system, but do not want to spend/do too much at this point.  So my question, what have my friends here at AudiogoN had  success with in a DAC?

I have an Oppo and two of the better high-end, but older Pioneer Elite players.  So I am thinking that a good sounding DAC may be of use to me.  

I do have a prejudice I may have to set aside, as in me liking components with tubes or transistors but not op-amps/I.C. chips.  Perhaps I am a dinosaur?

For what it's worth (great song) I listen mainly to classic Jazz and lean towards acoustic instruments rather than electric and I listen to many female vocals, Ella, Dinah Washington, Diana Krall, Carmen, and even though he had a bit of a messy life and a limited vocal and instrument range, I do listen to much of early Chet Baker and Paul Desmond, Miles, Earl Garner, et.al. 

Thanks for your thoughts/experience, Jim

 

jusam
yyzsantabarbara
4,987 posts
 

- Benchmark DAC3B - I use this when I want all the facts. Love this DAC though a friend tells me it lacks in the low end. I am not too sure about that. ($1600)

- Topping D90SE. Maybe the best mesauring DAC out there. It also sounded good with my uber nuetral Benchmark AHB2 amps and my warmer CODA #8 amp ($900)

- Gustard X26 Pro. A great DAC with warmth and detail, just not to the extreme in either. It has NOS+OS mode with 4 custom filters that actually sound different. ($1500)

- I sold the Gustard last week to raise money to buy the Musetec 005. People are selling Mola Mola Tambaqui et al DACs to keep this one. I am intrigued (on sale  $2969)

The 3 Chinese DACs I have listed will go on sale occasionally, especially Black Friday. The following is a reputable seller. Excellent actually wihth easy warranty work.

Professional Audio Online Shopping Store - LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE – SHENZHENAUDIO

 

ghdprentice
7,392 posts
 

I have had many inexpensive DACs I would Go for a Schiit Gungnir multibit. Outstanding sound for the money. If this is for your main system consider a Schiit Yggdrasil. I have not heard a Denafrips Ares II.

 

I have nearly all tube systems. For my office system a relatively inexpensive integrated. 

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,211 posts
 

My dac is no more on Ebay...

It is the work of a french designer, Christoph Mariac, a NOS tda1543 battery dac with the more minimalistic design possible for a dac...Batteries are internal i coupled it with a linear supply ...

It is so great even after all my increase in S.Q. with my audio system i dont see his limitations at all yet...

For the price paid it is the best purchase possible in audio... 20 bucks on an ebay bid for a new one...😁😁😁😊😊😊

After that the price go higher toward 400 us bucks...M. Marian abandon the idea to put them on a bid because of me ....He is a gentleman by the way if i judge by my communication with him...

His low noise minimalistic design is the key...I will die with it....

I purchased it after months of studying reviews all across the internet with NO negative critic for this dac, not one....Even from the people who sell anything good and "upgrade"....

I decided to forgot all costly one for which there always exist negative critics not only positives one, and focus on it and after 4 bids i take one of the last, new, for 20 bucks... Incredible...

jerrybj
869 posts
 

Also have some friends recommend SMSL M400. I was looking at that compared to a Gustard A22. A close call.

 

Settled instead on an extensively modded LKS DA-004.

Will keep one of the SEG Dacs, and sell the other.

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