View Single Post
Old 05-21-2008, 07:34 AM   #2 (permalink)
m3_arun
100+ Head-Fi'er

Profile
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 287
Default

Get an Alien DAC, either build one yourself or have someone build one for you. It's a USB-only DAC and very small.

You might consider getting an E-MU 1212m soundcard. If you get a good sound card you don't NEED an external DAC because the soundcard has its own DAC. In the case of the 1212m it has the high end CS4398 DAC chip. However, most soundcards will also have digital output, so you can upgrade to an external DAC later on and bypass the soundcard's DAC chip. If you just want the digital output from the soundcard to pass on to an external DAC, check out the Chaintech AV-710, which is cheap and has bit perfect digital output.

Under $200 there aren't a lot of options for non-USB external DACs. It might be best for you to get a nice soundcard and add an external DAC later on.
__________________
Pioneer A-35R -> Onix x-ls
m3_arun is offline   Reply With Quote