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Portable DAC for laptop for use with LCD2 and JH3A (is its DAC good/better?)

post #1 of 21
3/21/11 at 2:19am
Thread Starter 
Hey all,


I need a portable DAC like the uDAC or Pico DAC, to use with a fullsized AND the 3A+16. How is the 3A's DAC?
I would still like to consider the best price-performance ratio. Will be using RCA -> mini for signal feeding to an amp for the fullsized. Can anyone link me to a good cable? Not over $50 please?

I'm very unexperienced in this area, and I come to seek some guidance for you pros.

Budget for the DAC: Under $300. I already spent 700 on the Solo for portable use. This will be for college use, which is why it has to be transportable; it'll still be used at a desk though.


Thanks
Edited by Girls Generation - 3/21/11 at 10:53am
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post #2 of 21
3/21/11 at 3:34am

Since you've the Solo combo, i'll safely assume u have an iPod that is 6th Gen or newer? Can have a look at the HRT iStreamer which is essentially a desktop Solo since it requires a dedicated power supply but is "Made for iPod" as well and extracts digital from iDevices. 

 

I would personally recommend the Centrance DACport which i just purchased and it's an awesome little device that DOESN'T require an external power supply and uses an USB port for power. It is an essentially a DAC/AMP combo but can function as a dedicated DAC as well, just by connecting a 1/4" to RCA cable for input into an AMP.

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post #3 of 21
3/21/11 at 4:03am
Thread Starter 
Yes, I will soon have the iPhone 4, but using an iPhone 3G for now. I do not prefer one that requires a dedi power supply :| won't be for desktop use so, usb powered only!

Does the centrance dacport have spdif out?
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post #4 of 21
3/21/11 at 4:12am

I've yet to try it personally but i'm pretty sure RCA are the only outputs for the DACport. 

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post #5 of 21
3/21/11 at 7:25am

Hmm...why would you need a DAC with the JH3A? The JH3A IS a DAC (and an amp)!

 

You can just feed the digital output of your Solo into the JH3A. That's it!

 

 


Edited by pekingduck - 3/21/11 at 7:33am
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post #6 of 21
3/21/11 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Not entirely sure what you mean with the Solo since I'm looking for a at-desk DAC from my laptop... The solo doesn't work with a laptop.
Eh.. well, is the JH3A's DAC good enough? :| I'm going to be using some full sized as well, looking into getting an LCD2 after a little saving after dropping $ on the 3A.
Edited by Girls Generation - 3/21/11 at 10:54am
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post #7 of 21
3/21/11 at 5:45pm

For the JH3A, you just connect it to your laptop via USB (or SPDIF, if your computer supports that). No need to put another DAC in between.

 

For your future purchase of the LCD-2, however, you will need a new DAC AND a new amp (or simply a portable DAC/amp combo) with your laptop. The JH3A is useless in this case since it's designed to work ONLY with your JH16.

 

Hope it helps.

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post #8 of 21
3/21/11 at 5:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pekingduck View Post

For the JH3A, you just connect it to your laptop via USB (or SPDIF, if your computer supports that). No need to put another DAC in between.

 

For your future purchase of the LCD-2, however, you will need a new DAC AND a new amp (or simply a portable DAC/amp combo) with your laptop. The JH3A is useless in this case since it's designed to work ONLY with your JH16.

 

Hope it helps.


Yes, I know the 3A and its specs. I was just wondering how good the DAC inside of it is.


So for LCD2, what semi-portable (laptop use) amp and DAC would one recommend?
Edited by Girls Generation - 3/21/11 at 5:54pm
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post #9 of 21
3/24/11 at 11:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Girls Generation View Post



So for LCD2, what semi-portable (laptop use) amp and DAC would one recommend?
 


I have no experience with the equipment that you have, but I've used an iBasso D10 with my LCD-2 to pretty good effect.  For the most part, however, if you can go away from semi-portable into the full size desktops that would be the way I'd suggest going.

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post #10 of 21
3/24/11 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Equus View Post





I have no experience with the equipment that you have, but I've used an iBasso D10 with my LCD-2 to pretty good effect.  For the most part, however, if you can go away from semi-portable into the full size desktops that would be the way I'd suggest going.


Can't. I'm in college and I go out with my laptop and portable setup all the time. I'd use the portable setup for on-the-go, and semi-portable with laptop when I'm sitting down in a cafe or a mall, or heck, during a boring lecture :P
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post #11 of 21
3/24/11 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Girls Generation View Post


Can't. I'm in college and I go out with my laptop and portable setup all the time. I'd use the portable setup for on-the-go, and semi-portable with laptop when I'm sitting down in a cafe or a mall, or heck, during a boring lecture :P


Fair enough.  For use with the LCD-2, the portables I've heard and liked have been the D10 and the RSA Protector.  I only heard the latter a few times at different meets, but was impressed.  Other than that, the only other DAC/Amp I've used with the LCD-2 is a Meier 2Move, which I did not like as a pairing with the LCD-2.  There's probably other options out there...I haven't researched portables in a while, since I find that I don't usually use one when I'm on the go...just as a portable to hook up to my work laptop when I'm in the office.  I get enough weird looks from the portable amp...I'd probably get even moer if I had a desktop amp.

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post #12 of 21
3/25/11 at 9:20pm

 No one has any idea what the DAC in the JH3A is like, since there's no info available on in yet. But I would be surprised if the JH3A wasn't better than the LCD-2s anyway.  Plus, why would you want to lug around the JH3A + amp for around town as well as an LCD-2 + amp + dac for sitting in a cafe?  Just use software like Amarra out of your laptop to feed the JH3A, or get a tiny top rate spdif converter if you need one to feed the JH3A and you're good to go.  The LCD-2 or any ortho is never going to sound particularly good through a portable dac/amp compared to a desktop unit.  That's why the JH3A, with its incredibly low imp, will inevitably be the better of the two if you don't want to "plug in."


Edited by AVU - 3/25/11 at 9:22pm
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post #13 of 21
3/26/11 at 3:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AVU View Post

 No one has any idea what the DAC in the JH3A is like, since there's no info available on in yet. But I would be surprised if the JH3A wasn't better than the LCD-2s anyway.  Plus, why would you want to lug around the JH3A + amp for around town as well as an LCD-2 + amp + dac for sitting in a cafe?  Just use software like Amarra out of your laptop to feed the JH3A, or get a tiny top rate spdif converter if you need one to feed the JH3A and you're good to go.  The LCD-2 or any ortho is never going to sound particularly good through a portable dac/amp compared to a desktop unit.  That's why the JH3A, with its incredibly low imp, will inevitably be the better of the two if you don't want to "plug in."


I have my reasons.

I plan to get a desktop setup in the future when I'm settled into my own apartment, not the dorms; by 'future' I mean September. However, you do have a point where the LCD2 will never sound good through a portable setup. Then I better fold this thread and not get the LCD2 nor the DAC/amp, and stick with the JH3A 16.

Thanks.
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post #14 of 21
3/26/11 at 6:03am

If you want a semi-portable DAC/Amp that works well with the LCD's and is a very versatile product you should take a look at the Headroom Desktop Portable, it's bigger than the standard portable amp but may be more along the lines of what you're looking for. I've had one on loan from a friend that I've been using at home with my LCD-2's and I think it does a very nice job.

 

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post #15 of 21
3/26/11 at 6:29am

GG,

 

Buy a USB cable DAC and use it with your Stepdance.

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