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Budget DAC with Optical Digital input

Putting together a portable system for some travelling I'll be doing this summer. I am getting a Sony Discman with an optical digital out, some Senn 600's, a headphone amp (undetermined, tubed would be nice). Something with at least a 20bit DAC chip would be nice, and the optical input is necessary. Detachable power cord is also necessary. Under $300 would be nice, under $200 would be perfect. If you have any suggestions or alternatives to my proposed setup please let me know, Eric
buckingham
celtic66
1,674 posts
 
Assemblage 1.0 DACs have optical out and should be had for around $150 used. Very good and overlooked piece.
budrew
467 posts
 
Channel islands Audio VDA-1, $349, optical in, small too:

http://www.ciaudio.com/vda1.html
viggen
838 posts
 
Cal Audio Gamma
joe_b
421 posts
 
If you can find a Micromega Microdac for around $200 or so, I would recommend listening to it. I have compared this to Rega Planet, MSB Link I and Art DI/O and it beat them all. Not the most detailed dac around and a little light in the bass, but you won't find anything smoother at anywhere near this price. If you're gonna use a portable cd player as a transport, suggest you get a used jitter reduction device. The Microdac does have both toslink and coax inputs and removeable cord.
aroc
760 posts
 
If you need smooth,GDA-600 from Adcom might be the ticket. The GDA-600 came out in 1994 (I believe) and was Stereophile Class C. It has input for S/PDIF over RCA/coax and toslink plastic. It has has an aes/ebu input, if that matters. Smooth sounding, and not bad since you can find these for $200 used on the street.

You might see a GDA-700, but all it really adds over the 600 AFAIK, is HDCD. Both units can handle 20bit/44.1k. It also has a detactable IEC. Unfortunately the unit is quite large (footprint). So I doubt it is very portable, if that is part of your requirements.

FWIW, I used a GDA-600 until I switched it for an EVS Millennium DAC I.
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