| Headphone Amps (full-size) Discussion of desktop headphone amps. |
|
View Poll Results: What is the best cheap DAC out there (I mean DAC section, not Amp section)?
|
|
Beresford TC-7510
|
   
|
13 |
17.57% |
|
Zero 24 Bit /192 KHz DAC
|
  
|
24 |
32.43% |
|
Zhaolu (unmodded)
|
  
|
9 |
12.16% |
|
Behringer SRC2496
|
  
|
0 |
0% |
|
KECES DA-131
|
  
|
11 |
14.86% |
|
Other (<$250; worldwide delivery; please specify which)
|
  
|
17 |
22.97% |
01-21-2008, 06:48 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 30
|
|
Poll: Best cheap DAC?
Simple question, difficult answer. Question: what is the best cheap DAC out there?
A few things to note:
- I'm interested in the DAC itself, not the headphone amp that some DAC's have.
- The DAC will be connected to a tube amp (LD MKIII) which in turn drives a pair of K601's.
|
01-21-2008, 07:33 PM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 259
|
|
These might be a good place to start:
*broken links*
Please feel free to take advantage of other similar search terms. Best of luck!
__________________
He who loves head-fi will not be satisfied with head-fi;
Nor he who loves its crossfeed, with increase.
This too is folly.
Feedback | last.fm
Last edited by ironman64; 01-22-2008 at 01:17 AM.
|
01-21-2008, 08:26 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: In Sunny NE Florida
Posts: 3,347
|
|
Keces DA-151....
|
01-21-2008, 08:42 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,632
|
|
If you are using a computer - E-MU 1616. I owned it at the same time as Stello DA100, the sound is almost equivalent (Stello is more crisp in the treble). Has balanced outputs also, and has a headphone out if you really end up needing one.
__________________
Ovation Legend 1767. It is perfectly capable of reproducing music.
Team Dispel the Myth.
|
01-22-2008, 01:00 AM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: 「35d40.33NL139d42.42EL」
Posts: 161
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ironman64
These might be a good place to start:
Search #1
Search #2
Please feel free to take advantage of other similar search terms. Best of luck! |
The links don't seem to be working for me...
What are the search terms you used?
__________________
Click here to see my head-fi feedback.
|
01-22-2008, 01:17 AM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 259
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by doubletaps
The links don't seem to be working for me...
What are the search terms you used?
|
Sorry to hear that. Well, first select the equipment category (so you don't receive For Sale threads), and I chose "cheap dac" and "help dac." But try any combination you'd like--the more the better.
__________________
He who loves head-fi will not be satisfied with head-fi;
Nor he who loves its crossfeed, with increase.
This too is folly.
Feedback | last.fm
|
01-22-2008, 08:37 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 30
|
|
I think the exact search in the second link was "DAC recommended".
Of course I did the search and read hundreds if not thousands of posts. It's difficult to choose the right DAC on individual observations. There are loads of discussions about opamps and such. Comparisons with regard to SQ are harder to find. Furthermore, there seem to be a number of 'fanboys' that defend their own DAC. Therefore I thought that a poll would be a way to check if there is a consensus on the forum.
|
01-22-2008, 09:02 PM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 259
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by verbaan
I think the exact search in the second link was "DAC recommended".
|
That may be correct--sorry if I misquoted my own entry!
You've probably thought through this, but polling doesn't eliminate the presence of fanboys either; sometimes forcing people to choose one encourages "bandwagoning" (w/ name recognition, etc). It's because of this that yourwork's cut out for you. My two cents is to look for consistency and longevity of a product: was it a passing fad, did only a handful of members post in multiple threads making the support base appear larger . . .
__________________
He who loves head-fi will not be satisfied with head-fi;
Nor he who loves its crossfeed, with increase.
This too is folly.
Feedback | last.fm
|
01-24-2008, 07:54 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 30
|
|
|
01-24-2008, 08:11 PM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 259
|
|
Of course, you could always buy one, or two, or all three and let us know what you think! You could always sell what you don't want to keep. 
__________________
He who loves head-fi will not be satisfied with head-fi;
Nor he who loves its crossfeed, with increase.
This too is folly.
Feedback | last.fm
|
01-24-2008, 10:34 PM
|
 |
500+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Posts: 817
|
|
Fubar and or Spitfire
__________________
[Office Unit ] iMac > USB > Ultra MicroDAC > Raptor > AT W5000 / Senn HD800 / Mardis v3.0 > Tekton 4.5
[Home Unit] MacPro > Lavry Black DA10 / Denon 3910CI > Cambridge Audio 840a > Monitor Audio RS-6 / Senn HD650
[Portable] 2G iPod Touch > UE-10pro/Klipsch Image
[Travel] MacBookPro > Predator > ATH-ESW10JPN
[Gym] 2G Shuffle > ER6i
|
01-25-2008, 04:45 AM
|
 |
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Ft Myers, FL
Posts: 1,090
|
|
Behringer uca202 hands down winner at $30.00!!!
It has both optical and analog out as well as headphone out.
__________________
Ron Kerlin
Ft Myers, FL
PLAYERS: iRiverH140& (2)H-CF32, Sony A-820, Panasonic SL-CT800.
AMPS: SAC K-1000, Little Dot T-150, SOHA(JISBOS), Stax SRM 212, RWA Teac AL700P, iBasso P3+, D10, P3, iQube, Creek OBH-11, T4, SM-Micro.
PHONES: AKG K-1000, Westone ES3X, Stax SR-003, Sony F1, Sony EX700, FreQshows, Yuin OK2,3, G1A, G1, G2A,Panasonic WF6000T.
NON-HEADPHONE AUDIO: Denon Home Theatre Amps, Definitive Technology surround system, Magnaplan MG12s.
|
01-25-2008, 11:23 AM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 188
|
|
How would a cheap dac compare to an auzen prelude?
Or how would a cheap dac compare to a $500 dac-5 or $1000 Benchmark dac-1 even?
Technically what are the advantages and disadvantages to all of these? I know that using an internal soundcard can introduce interference. I notice it myself when I set the volume level below 45% and turn up the volume on the amp.
But what would a dac do for me that the auzen prelude can't do on it's own?
My interest in getting a dac would be to use it in combination with the prelude over spdif so I can still keep all the eax effects and all the gaming stuff.
Really though what differences would I notice if I were to have a Benchmark Dac-1 hooked up to my Darkvoice vs just having it connected directly to the line-out (which seems somewhat pathetic but I really haven't found any good source that could explain to me the specific differences)
So I have the same interest as the OP I guess if it can give me significantly better sound than the prelude can on it's own. I don't have $500-$1000 to spend on a dac though.
|
01-25-2008, 03:17 PM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 303
|
|
How are people using all these DACs with RCA outputs, when most headphone amps have 3.5mm inputs?
__________________
Apple Macbook, Apogee Duet, Apple iPod (5th Gen), Kenwood KR-V7040, Graham Slee Voyager, MicroShar Hand Crafted LOD, Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 Pro, Grado SR80, Grado SR325i, Roland DS-7
|
01-25-2008, 04:06 PM
|
 |
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,040
|
|
Mini to RCA cable?
__________________
"Visually everything here is imperfect, but sonically they're mesmerizing"
Head-Fi Feedbacks
Portable rig iMod Photo → Xin SMIII V6 (2x BUF634 + 2x OPA627) → Yuin PK-1
Home rig X-FI Xtrememusic (as transport) → BJC Coax → OMZ v4.1 → VanDeHul "The Name" IC → Lisa III XP → AKG K701 (w SAA Equinox) / Denon D2000
Current sources: iMod Photo, iRiver IFP-180TC, Sony D-EJ925, & OMZ v4.1 DAC
Current cans: DENON D2000, AKG K701, Yuin PK-1, Etymotic ER6i, Alessandro MS-1, Sennheiser MX500, Koss UR-30 & KSC-55
Current amps: Yamaha Natural Sound Stereo Amp A-420, Xin Supermacro III V6, & LISA III XP
Current speakers: Klipsch Promedia satellite speakers + Megaworks Subwoofer
Wish list: Stax rigs, Darth beyer, Xin Reference, Tube Amp, Ultrasone Edition 9 & Balanced rigs
Gone but not forgotten: Heed Canamp, iBasso D1
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 02:43 PM.
|
Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
Can Jam '09
(2009
International
Head-Fi Meet)
Impressions,
Reviews, Photos |
Can
Jam '09 graphic
courtesy of Edwood
Click on the links below
for Can Jam '09 photos,
impressions and reviews:
blubliss
1,
2,
3
dallan
1,
2,
3,
4
santacore
1,
2
nhat_thanh
1, 2
vpivinylspinner
1,
2,
3
amb
1
augustwest
1
eaglejo
1
johnsonad
1
shellylh
1
Jon L
1,
2,
3,
4
Germancub
1
zippy2001
1
IPodPJ
1
bhd812
1
Edwood
1,
2
abellaw
1,
2
minidiscs
1
atothex
1
HighLife
1
achristilaw
1
SiBurning
1,
2,
3,
4
SiBurning
5,
6,
7
LFF
1
Iron_Dreamer
1
doping panda
1
morphsci
1
ironbut
1
shaizada
1
jasper994
1,
2
jp11801
1
Uncle Erik
1
drubrew
1
(More impressions/photos
still being added.)
|
|
|
Head-Fi Blogs
and Facebook |
|
|
Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
|
