What would you buy Sub $350 Firewire/USB DAC

What a great post! Apart from confirming what I have always thought to be true (my Musical Fidelity B1's specs aren't any better, and indeed are much worse than many Sony, Pioneer, & etc. components) you raise important issues regarding cost vs. service. For $150, I'm likely to discard and purchase a new DAC should it fail. On the other hand, if the $400 Cambridge Audio DAC failed, I'd be quite reluctant to toss it.

Having flexibility of inputs is not a bad thing. As you note, many will become obsolete, but I suspect that USB has a good deal of life left in it, and should it be replaced, that adapters of one sort or another will extend the lifespan a touch. I tend to keep older equipment when it works well, so that might be okay.

Putting aside the truly inexpensive options, I wonder how much difference I would hear between the Keces, the Audio Sector and the Vintage Audiolabs NOS DACs--probably much less of a difference than between NOS and up sampling models. If I take the NOS route, the Vintage Audio Labs offers a variety of inputs (I'll use USB primarily, but on occasion the digital in from my rather harsh sounding HK CD player). If I take the up sampling route, I'll have to spend a good bit more.

I am learning a good deal from all of the input offered here, and once again, thanks to all.

Best,

The upsampling is a beast of a different color entirely - my only extended experience with it was with the TriVista. It was very smooth with no obvious artifacts but one day I just got up and turned it off. I just didn't like it.

Since that experience I have noticed that more and more people divide into two camps - NOS and upsample.

I suspect that this is one of those YMMV issues - either on the hardware side where the issue is how resolving your system is and what is your room like; on the software side where the issue may have something to do with what kinds of music and recordings you enjoy; and finally on the wetware side - how much have you listened and what do you listen for.

If there ever was a situation where GIGO applies, upsampling is it LOL

I tend to agree with you that it is unlikely you will hear much difference between the three DACs you mentioned. If you can, compare the DAC and Op Amp parts, and also try to get a sense of the power supply.

All things being equal it sounds as though you have done a good job in matching your system needs, budget and technology with the Vintage unit.

Give it a go and let us know what you think!

>>If there ever was a situation where GIGO applies, upsampling is it LOL<<

I can't help but think that this is a terribly important consideration for USB DACs. I suspect that I would enjoy the Cambridge Audiolabs or the Musical Fidelity when listening to lossless sources or when using a CD transport. On the other hand, I have well over 200 gigs of digital music that is not lossless, and with that or streaming sources (I use the online classical music library for my teaching), the NOS might actually be a better choice.

I am on creating a final short list soon...

A little more information:

Model Price Type / Chip Inputs Outputs Other

Cambridge Audio DacMagic
$399
US
USB, Coax, Optical
RCA/XLR

KECES 151 USB DAC
$225
US/Burr Brown PCM 2702 ME49710 OP-Amp
USB
RCA (No Headphone)

Musical Fidelity V-DAC
$300 US
USB, Coax, Optical
RCA (No headphone)
Some reviews prefer DacMagic

Musiland MD 10 USB DAC
$300 US/CS4398
USB, Coax, Optical, BNC
RCA, Headphone

Styleaudio Carat HD1-V
L130
US/Burr Brown PCM2704
USB Optical
RCA /Headphone
Headphone output weak

Yulong DAH 1 USB DAC
$280 US/AD1955 SPDIF, Coaxial, USB, analog input (RCA)
RCA / Headphone
Remote Control / Superior headphone amp

Giga Lab Moon DAC
$185
NOS 1543
USB, Coax, Optical
RCA (No headphone)

Vintage Audio Lab DAC
$180 NOS TDA 1543
USB / RCA /Coax/optical
RCA (No headphone)
capacitors for each DAC may not be what is claimed in literature: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f7/valab-dac-first-impressions-378459/index5.html

So, if I go budget, I'm leaning toward the Vintage Audio Lab; if I splurge, I think that the Cambridge Audio may be the way to go.

If anyone here owns any of these products and would like to comment....

Best,

MP

It's not enough to simply have a USB input on a DAC. Implementation is tricky and only a few manufacturers are doing a really good job of it. (I've ordered a Keces to check it out.) For example, with my Bel Canto DAC3, I prefer Toslink out of my Mac Mini to USB out to the Bel Canto's USB input. Bel Canto has just introduced an accessory box to convert USB to S/PDIF. They claim superior sonics as well as 24/96 capability. You are definitely not hearing the Bel Canto at its best when using the USB input. And they are not alone in this regard -- most manufacturers are not doing USB right.