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Best non-USB Dac for $3k, computer as source?

Hi There:
I'm shopping for a good DAC for my system as I'm currently winging it with an iRoc USB Dac connected to my PC via USB, using iTunes. It sounds pretty good to me but I want to do justice to the rest of my system which is more high-end.

I'm not sold on USB as the connection of choice to the PC, and I have a nice Juli@ Soundcard which got very good reviews, so hope to use that as source via SPDIF to DAC.

Do folks have any strong recommendation on a DAC at or below $3k or is there any strong reason to spend a bit more? I'd rather keep it below $3k if possible. I'd like to play 24/192k files and will try some hi-rez downloads but most of my collection is Apple Lossless via iTunes.

Thanks!
outlier
loftarasa
171 posts
 
Eh, some of the suggestions you got so far are strange cause you said you want 24/192 out your PC, which would only do it if using S/PDIF out your Juli@.

The PC/transport side of things is quite problematic for good sound cause of noise from all kinds of software subsystems, hardware peripherals and general nastiness. Conflate that with S/PDIF's problems, and you have a problem!

If you wanted to keep your PC, I would look at an Ayre QB9 (async USB up to 24/192) and a SotM tx-USB PCI card that helps reduce noise on the USB output. Total is well under your budget.

Another alternative - look at an Auraliti PK90 USB headless player and forget about most the problems introduced by using a normal desktop.
herman
2,281 posts
 
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I don't follow, first you say

24/192 out your PC, which would only do it if using S/PDIF out your Juli@.

and then recommend a 24/192 USB DAC

USB and Firewire are both easily capable of 24/192

IMHO the whole issue of noise and "nastiness" from a PC is overblown hype, there are too many people using a computer and a DAC with wonderful results to dismiss them for that reason. A good designer can easily build a DAC that can deal with any noise coming down the wire from the PC.

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charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Herman,
Ditto, Loftarasa`s post makes little sense.
loftarasa
171 posts
 
Um, I'll try to clarify - it's my assertion that a PC is a bad base on which to have a high-end transport based on S/PDIF.

If keeping the PC, I'd contend that an async USB DAC capable of 24/192, which the latest revision Ayre is, will outperform any of the other DACs listed + the Juli@ + the normal PC.
herman
2,281 posts
 
.

I see, that makes sense. Don't agree, but I now understand your position.

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