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List of DAC/Preamps

post #1 of 17
7/31/11 at 11:19pm
Thread Starter 

Looking for a list of all the DAC/Preamps

 

>$1.5k

Zodiac Antelope

Grace m903

Benchmark DAC1 HDR

Bel Canto

W4S [ESS Sabre 32bit]

Weiss DAC

 

>$1k

nuForce 9 [not yet released]

Anedio D1 [ESS Sabre 32bit, discontinued]

Burson HA-160D [analog volume control]

 

>$500

KRK Ergo

EE MiniMax [tube]

 

>$100

nuForce HDP

Beresford TC-7520SEG Caiman

Matrix Mini-i

Emotiva XDA-1

Maverick [tube]

Various Audio-GD products

ZeroDAC [junk?]

 

-------------------------

 

I know there's more, I just can't remember.

 

Probably some B&M big-box receivers, too, like Oknyo, Denon, HK, et al.

 

 

 

 

FWIW: I'm looking for a DAC/Preamp

- $1k budget, less is better, as always

- 32bit volume control or analog prefered

- No tubes

- Coax digital in up to 192/24

- RCA out

- Prefer knob for volume over remote/buttons

- Built-in headamp a plus

 

Would have liked the Anedio, but now what? Leaning Burson, I guess. W4S is ugly as ****, lol.

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post #2 of 17
8/1/11 at 1:05am
Thread Starter 

The Fidelix Caprice looks sweet, but not for over $2k, lol.

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post #3 of 17
8/3/11 at 4:46pm

Do any US sellers carry the Matrix Mini-I?

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post #4 of 17
8/3/11 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT View Post

Do any US sellers carry the Matrix Mini-I?



http://www.pacificvalve.us/DACS.html

 

 

Did some more digging:

 

- The Quattro appears to use an analog ALPS pot. I assume the Mini-i is the same. So, preamp duties are questionable.

- EE Dac 001 is switchable SS/Tube

 

Still leaning to Burson....

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post #5 of 17
8/4/11 at 1:16am
Thread Starter 

~$1k w/shipping:

Onkyo DAC-1000 [PCM1795, SRC, so I assume 32-bit volume control?]

Fostex HP-A7 [AKM AK4392]

 

Still searching...

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post #6 of 17
8/4/11 at 8:23am

The Burson is probably the sexiest one I've seen under $1k.

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post #7 of 17
8/4/11 at 3:33pm

Do you want a good DAC?

Buy this one and never look back. It have the best amp / preamp  in  DAC you can find. Took two years to get it  to production. Do more digging on it, you wont be disappointed.  

 

 

http://www.vintageking.com/Mytek-Digital-Stereo192-DSD-DAC-Silver-Preamp-Version?sc=49&category=-149 

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post #8 of 17
8/4/11 at 8:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vvs_75 View Post

Do you want a good DAC?

Buy this one and never look back. It have the best amp / preamp  in  DAC you can find. Took two years to get it  to production. Do more digging on it, you wont be disappointed.  

 

 

http://www.vintageking.com/Mytek-Digital-Stereo192-DSD-DAC-Silver-Preamp-Version?sc=49&category=-149 

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Pretty expensive for a stepped analog attenuator =/

 

Would love to find a unit ~$1k or less that uses the same method of digital volume control as the Anedio... but with a builtin head-amp that is Q70x friendly :)

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post #9 of 17
8/5/11 at 12:47am
Consider the PreSonus Central Station. They're about $500 and had a bit of popularity here a few years ago. I owned one while I was running computer-as-source. Loved it. But I fell away into vinyl/SACD and sold it because I wasn't using it.

It got good reviews here, too. Run a few searches.

It has two digital inputs, one Toslink and one SPDIF. I think there's an analog input or two, as well, and the DAC is 24/192.

A couple things make it special:

1. Two separate, independent headphone amps with separate volume knobs. Nice, clean sound and plenty of power. Even the K-1000 was halfway decent on it. Very convenient if you want to A/B two pairs of headphones or listen with someone else.

2. The preamp has a relay-based attenuator. Very, very nice option, especially at this price. Relays are terrific - better than a pot or even some stepped attenuators.

Read the reviews and give it some thought. There's a bias against pro gear around here, but a lot of it offers excellent value. The same thing in audiophile garb would probably be over $2k.
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post #10 of 17
8/5/11 at 2:12am
Thread Starter 

Sweer lord. Thank you good sir. As soon as I'm back from China I'll ebay one of those puppies. They go used for ~$300 + shipping it looks like.

 

Looks perfect.

 

- SPDIF in up to 192/24 (not that 192 matters, but I just happen to have some music in that format).

- TWO headphone amps that will drive what I need

- Good volume control passive preamp section for speaker outs

 

I was about to pull-the-trigger on a Burson, but you just saved me a significant amount of cheddar.

 

If I ran a MF V-LPS to the analog-in's, then I could run a phono->CS preamp>amp>speakers?

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post #11 of 17
8/7/11 at 4:13pm

Why don't you check out Audiolab 8200CDQ?  It's a CD player, a DAC, and digital/analog preamp altogether.  It should cost 1300 in USD.  There are a number of professional reviews on it.  What hi fi had its review on non preamp version, 8200CD and praised very highly of it's DAC and CD player.  Also, you will find a number of articles that mention its digital preamp is perhaps better than any preamps in 1000-2000 USD range.  I'm seriously considering either this one or Oppo BDP-95.  They seemed to have some what similar sound characteristic being both use Sabre 32 bit DAC's.  BDP-95 doesn't really have the preamp, but it has digital volume control, which isn't as perfect as the digital preamp of the 8200CDQ, but workable.  By the way, for some who may wonder what is a digital preamp, for the most basic explanation, the volume is controlled within DAC itself (for both Audiolab and Oppo), so it has very very little loss or distortion.  Some of the most expensive DACs incorporate digital volume control that many people are simply by-passing their preamp's costing 2000k to 10,000k and connect directly to their power amp.   

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post #12 of 17
8/7/11 at 4:25pm

By the way, I'm actually also considering a new AV receiver, Onkyo NR-809, which cost around 800, for my DAC/preamp need.  I don't listen to headphones much lately.  My beloved KEFQ900 speakers are great, but of course not as detailed as the best headphones.  So, for my need, something like Onkyo 809 will provide un-noticeable difference as to it's DAC/preamp quality compared to other higher priced stand-alone DAC/preamp.  It has.. forgot the name or spec #, but very good dac's for each of the channels.  Also, it doubles as a speaker amp too.  However, if you have something like Senn HD800, then I'm sure the stand-alone DAC's will provide noticeable differences.  Just my 2 cents.

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post #13 of 17
8/7/11 at 5:11pm
Thread Starter 

moonsurf, thanks for your input.

 

I tried to ebay a PreSonus CS but ebay/Paypal wouldn't let me pay. I called Paypal and they said it's been a known glitch for about a month now, and to ask the seller for an invoice... But by then the BIN had gone away because someone bid mad.gif I also couldn't Paypal an M-Stage, either, because of the same stupid "glitch". Arg.

 

But moonsurf, any idea where I might find the Audiolab 8200CDQ in the U.S.? I'm only finding UK distributors right now, and Amazon.uk would not ship to a U.S. address. The 8200CDQ looks beautiful!

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post #14 of 17
8/7/11 at 7:37pm
Thread Starter 

Also found this:

 

http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gs1/index.htm

 

I guess it's DIY-able, but I am buying stuff up to use as soon as I get home from China in a few weeks biggrin.gif

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post #15 of 17
8/7/11 at 10:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarioImpemba View Post

Also found this:

 

http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gs1/index.htm

 

I guess it's DIY-able, but I am buying stuff up to use as soon as I get home from China in a few weeks biggrin.gif

 

Oops, I'm stupid. No DAC - just headamp/preamp. Still tempting :)
 

 

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