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What USB DAC to use with iMac , Mapletree amp and HD800s?

post #1 of 11
6/25/11 at 7:10am
Thread Starter 

I am looking to upgrade my E-MU 0404 USB with a better DAC.

I use Fidelia on my iMac to play Flacs into a Mapletree EAR Purist HD and HD800s.

Any advice and any good 2nd hand DACs for sale?

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post #2 of 11
6/25/11 at 7:20am

Parasound 1100, under $400 USD used. I am also a bit partial to the older Musical Fidelity X-DAC, which can be had for under $200 USD.

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post #3 of 11
6/26/11 at 7:35am

^^^

V-DAC you mean ??

 

I am myself confused between V-DAC and HRT MSII+

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post #4 of 11
6/26/11 at 7:56am
Thread Starter 

I have also been advised on:

 

Calyx DAC 24/192

M2Tech Young DAC

Wyred4Sound DAC2

Music Streamer II+

Nuforce HDP

Emotiva X-da1

 

??

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post #5 of 11
7/1/11 at 12:31am

I personally use a Benchmark DAC-1 with my Mac Pro and HD800s, but you must like the tube sound.

I would suggest an Arcam rDAC to complement your Mapletree. Good async USB support, and less redundant with the rest of your setup.

 

The MF X-DAC is an older model discontinued some years back, and different from the still current V-DAC.

 

 


Edited by majid - 7/1/11 at 12:33am
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post #6 of 11
7/1/11 at 1:53am

Money no object? The Benchmark, obviously.

 

Have a number you don't want to exceed? HRT MusicStreamer II+ 2011 model.

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post #7 of 11
7/2/11 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 

I am currently using Fidelia to play FLACs from my iMac 27" into the E-MU 0404 USB.

I am connected to the EMU using a USB cable but I see the iMac has a digital out option on the speaker\headphone.

Should I rather use the S/PDIF option and what cable do I use?
Will a mini-jack to RCA cable work?

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post #8 of 11
7/2/11 at 1:15am

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by guido View Post

I am currently using Fidelia to play FLACs from my iMac 27" into the E-MU 0404 USB.

I am connected to the EMU using a USB cable but I see the iMac has a digital out option on the speaker\headphone.

Should I rather use the S/PDIF option and what cable do I use?
Will a mini-jack to RCA cable work?


A mini-to-RCA cable will give you the iMac's analog output.

 

To get the digital out, use a Toslink optical cable. Either get one that has a mini-toslink plug on one end of the cable (to fit the iMac), or get an adapter to put over a regular toslink plug.

 

Example:

toslink-to-mini-toslink cable

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post #9 of 11
7/2/11 at 1:19am
Thread Starter 

Thanks Yoga...I understand now what I need.

 

Will this Toslink optical cable disable my onboard sound on my Imac though?

 

Would there be any sonic advantages to using Toslink over the USB connection to the EMU DAC?

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post #10 of 11
7/2/11 at 1:34am

Yes, when the optical cable is plugged in, the iMac built in speakers are disabled.

 

I can think of a few advantages:

  • Toslink is galvanically isolated, so electrical noise cannot travel from the iMac to the DAC. If you have a ground loop problem, this may fix that. (Some DACs have isolated USB. Not sure about the EMU.)
  • If you have a USB hard drive, it may create lag or minor interference with a USB DAC. Toslink doesn't have this problem.
  • Toslink does not need drivers to be installed. So there is no chance that a bad driver will degrade the sound. (Though you still need drivers to access the other functions from the EMU anyway.)
  • You can run your toslink cable next to a power transformer, microwave oven, and a Wifi router and it won't pick up any noise. :)

 

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post #11 of 11
7/9/11 at 6:26am
Thread Starter 

Ok...have taken a gamble on a Matrix Quattro DAC....will report back!

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