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Recommendations for USB DAC under $200 (new or used)?

post #1 of 3
10/22/10 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 

I just got the Matrix M-stage amp for my HD650 and I feel that its not big enough of an improvement over straight out of the Hotaudio HOTUSB dac. I'm thinking that the dac is the weakest link in the system at this point. I remember listening to a friend's Wadia DAC and it just blew me away at the sound. The price tag was certainly mindblowing too. 

 

Any suggestions for a USB dac (since my laptop has no optical out)? I would prefer a pure dac over a combo dac/hp amp, but if the dac in the combo is really good, i can't complain! I'm thinking of scouting out the buying/selling forum, so anything under $200 used or new would be great. At this point, I was hoping for richer mids and smoother highs...I prefer a nonfatiguing presentation over crazy detail. Thanks!

 

 

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post #2 of 3
12/18/10 at 5:24pm
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Originally Posted by  View Post




Thanks for your explanation! I got more deep understanding about this part.
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post #3 of 3
12/19/10 at 5:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ev01ut10ndt View Post

I just got the Matrix M-stage amp for my HD650 and I feel that its not big enough of an improvement over straight out of the Hotaudio HOTUSB dac. I'm thinking that the dac is the weakest link in the system at this point. I remember listening to a friend's Wadia DAC and it just blew me away at the sound. The price tag was certainly mindblowing too. 

 

Any suggestions for a USB dac (since my laptop has no optical out)? I would prefer a pure dac over a combo dac/hp amp, but if the dac in the combo is really good, i can't complain! I'm thinking of scouting out the buying/selling forum, so anything under $200 used or new would be great. At this point, I was hoping for richer mids and smoother highs...I prefer a nonfatiguing presentation over crazy detail. Thanks!

 

 


In the range of 200$ "Pure" DACs I would advice "sure and well known values" like these ones :

- MUSILAND SVDAC05

- DAC ZERO 09 EDITION USB AND OPA 627

 

There seems to be promising unit but i don't found yet any reviews of this, but on the paper it look very promising (24bits/96 Khz over USB, CS4398 DAC) :

- YULONG U100 DAC & USB HEADAMP

 

Or you can look toward the SPARROW from Audio-GD :)

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