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What would you buy Sub $350 Firewire/USB DAC

Hello and thank you for reading my post.

I have a pair of B&W DM 610s with a Music Fidelity B1 amplifier. My old ADC CD player is slowly passing away, and I've been thinking of using my IBM X61 laptop as an audio source.

Here is a short list that I'm considering, and I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Best,

Music Prof.

StyleAudio Carat-HD1V
Styleaudio Peridot USB DAC
Fubar III
DIYEDEN SVDAC05 USB DAC
DIYEDEN SVDAC04 USB DAC
Blue Circle USB
AudioSector USB NOS DAC
Apogee Mini-DAC w/USB option
Peter Daniel NOS USB DAC
DacMagic Digital to Analogue Converter
Peter Daniel USB DAC
KECES 151 USB DAC
KECES DA-131 USB DAC
Vintage Audio Lab DAC
Squeezebox classic
Musiland MD 10 Bit Select USB DAC
DIYEDEN SVDAC05 USB DAC
Yulong DAH 1 USB DAC
music_prof
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Congrats on your choice!

Two budget cables and a step up from budget.

Budget: Apogee Wyde Eye, Canare L-5CFB
Step Up: VH Audio cryo Pulsar

No matter which cable you choose, get a 1.5-meter length of it. This will ensure that signal reflections between the two cable ends interfere as little as possible with the DAC's clock timing.

BTW others may recommend other cables; I'm only recommending things I've personally tried.
music_prof OP
46 posts
 
Thank you for your input Tobias.

I can purchase the Canare cable for next to nothing ($14.50 US):

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/shopbycable/L5CFB.htm

Given how modest my system is, I think that the dacMagic and and Canare should do what I need it to. My understanding is that any good USB cable should be fine.

My birthday is February 1, and my wonderful wife already has the dacMagic on order to make certain that it arrives on time.

Thanks again,

MP
phill
38 posts
 
I posted earlier about the Valab Dac that I had problems with and have to say Kevin from Valab provided excellent customer service in taking care of the situation. Valab has settled in on the parts used for current production and are now using a 1ppm clock. The sound is excellent, shockingly good for a $180.00 Dac with USB, coax and toslink. If you can try one that is broken in you may be very suprised, no piece of equipment is all things to all people but I would put the Valab on the short list for Dacs to try.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Prof,

Congrats, I'm confident that you'll be happily surprised at how good this thing sounds.

Perhaps due to a brief brain cramp, I said I use the DACMagic with a Mac on my piano & that's wrong. It's a PC - the DACMagic is not an approved "MAC compatable" device. Just wanted to be sure I didn't provide bad info.

Marty
music_prof OP
46 posts
 
I thought about buying the Valab DAC from the Pacific Valve Company as I heard so many good things about it. Ultimately, the rave reviews and the versatility of the dacMagic won me over. Were I to take the NOS route, I definitely would have purchased one of the Scott Nixon DACs.

I won't be able to see my gift before February 1st, but once I get it, I'll be sure to post.

Best,

MP
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