What DAC for HD800 for 2000$
Jan 12, 2011 at 6:37 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14
kuben

kuben

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Hi, hello!
 
I want to buy my first DAC i have Buffalo II in my mind i read good things about it and hd800 but is there something better i can buy?
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Jan 12, 2011 at 6:44 PM Post #2 of 14
not quite $2000 but i would at least look into the eastern electric mini max tube hybrid.  I owned it with some thunderpants orthos and found it AWESOME.  it retails for around $750 i think
 
Jan 12, 2011 at 7:15 PM Post #3 of 14
Haven't heard anything in that price range myself. but take a look a the Audio-GD Reference 7. http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/466765/audio-gd-reference-7-the-new-flagship-dac
 
Close to $2000 and supposed to be very comparable with higher priced DAC's.
 
Audio-GD aren't shipping any new orders in January though, but they are offering a 5% preorder discount. Or you could buy from your local distributor who may just have one in stock.
 
And you probably should have posted this in the dedicated source components forum mate.
 
Jan 12, 2011 at 9:27 PM Post #4 of 14


Quote:
kuben said:
Hi, hello!
 
I want to buy my first DAC i have Buffalo II in my mind i read good things about it and hd800 but is there something better i can buy?
 
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


You can just build a dual-mono BII with some 'upgrades' like better chassis, connectors or internal wiring for less than $2000.
 
I built my DAC-END II for ~$1500 and it's a wonderful match with the HD800. No more edgy treble that I sometimes found annoying.
 
Jan 12, 2011 at 9:58 PM Post #5 of 14
Quote:
lil' knight said:
You can just build a dual-mono BII with some 'upgrades' like better chassis, connectors or internal wiring for less than $2000.
Click to expand...


I had a dual mono Buffalo-II a while ago for a couple of months I honestly couldn’t tell any difference against my earlier version Buffalo-32, from memory the dual mono has better dynamic range, to appreciate the difference you’d probably have to listen at levels like 120db, lol.
 
Maybe there’s a better output stage than the IVY III, IMHO that would be a better path than the dual mono route.
 
 
 
Jan 12, 2011 at 10:33 PM Post #7 of 14
I'd also doubt I could tell the difference the between the 'standard' and dual-mono one :D But heck, one could spend $5000 on power cable, why not much less than that for dual-mono fashion :D More scientific and believable to me :p
 
OP could try with other output stage, like the Pass D1 on diya and go for maxxed boutique parts. $2000 would be burnt pretty fast.
 
For commercial stuffs, just look for a used PS Audio PerfectWave, normally $1,900. I got a chance to fool around with it, and man, that's such a beast with many cool features and sounds wonderful too. It makes the AudioNote DAC 5 feel like an overpriced piece of junk. I'm still trying to hunt for one locally but so far no success.
 
Jan 13, 2011 at 10:08 AM Post #9 of 14
The BII can be configured to have headphone jack, both SE or XLR. Actually it drives headphones to decent level. Just wait for TPA's forthcoming USB transport. I've been following their progress for a long time.
 
Jan 14, 2011 at 12:51 PM Post #10 of 14
 
Quote:
kuben said:
Oh... I forgot that it must to have headphone jack and be able to connect to pc.
Click to expand...


So to clarify you are not looking for a DAC to pair with an amp, but a single box unit to put all of your audio stuff into this 1 box + your computer.
 
For so many reasons you are better off splitting them up unless you are totally strapped for space in which case you should just get the Lavry D11, Grace M902, or Grace M903. There are very few DIYers who can build a product of equal quality in such a small space which helps if you have space issues.
 
Jan 15, 2011 at 1:17 PM Post #14 of 14
I heard few really good opinions on Lampucera DACs. Another option might be Hagerman Chime, which I am aiming to build myself within few months (as long as I obtain good soldering skills:p). From what I remember the designer of the Chime DAC still has parts for one unit and could build it for ~$2000. However, I don't know how Lampucera compares to Chime. Lampucera seems to be better known within headphone community and Hagerman products are more popular within speaker fan; at least that's what I found based on my short research. I personally would like to hear both and get a chance to compare.:wink:
 
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