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Best DAC Under $2000.00

post #1 of 9
8/31/11 at 2:19pm
Thread Starter 

Please forgive me if this has been covered before, but I am looking for the best DAC under $2000.00. Source is FLAC files output via  USB, as well as some CD's. Will be using in conjunction with HE-500 headphones & Schiit Lyr amp. Appreciate any recommendations.

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post #2 of 9
8/31/11 at 8:49pm

If you're using USB, you're going to want an Asynchronous USB DAC. The Ayre QB-9 is frequently available use for around $2K, and the W4S DAC2 is available new for $1500. There's also the Calyx DAC, and the new MK2 version of the Eastern Electric Minimax.

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post #3 of 9
8/31/11 at 9:03pm

I'm using an Oppo 95 universal player. Most of my music is stored in a 2TB Hitachi HDD connected by eSATA cable, you can also use USB2.0. It also plays CD, SACD, BD, & DVD. It has a volume control so I connect it directly to my basic amp. It has balanced as well as RCA out for two channel, 8 RCAs for multi-channel. It uses two Sabre ES9018 32-bit DAC chip, one for multi-channel and another one dedicated for two channel audio. Pricewise its $1K.

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post #4 of 9
9/1/11 at 11:40am

You could try the Neko Audio D100 Mk2. They offer a 30 day trial period. Though you'd need an USB -> SPDIF adapter, cause the DAC has no USB input. The DAC is 1495 USD.

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post #5 of 9
9/1/11 at 12:20pm
Nuforce dac-9.
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post #6 of 9
9/1/11 at 5:17pm

Rega DAC.  At  $1k it leaves you with money to get an Audiophilleo if you want asynchronous USB up to 192khz.  This is a very nice combo for computer playback.

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post #7 of 9
9/1/11 at 7:02pm
I'd spend $400-$600 on a good used DAC and put the rest into a nice turntable.
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post #8 of 9
9/1/11 at 7:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wuwhere View Post

I'm using an Oppo 95 universal player. Most of my music is stored in a 2TB Hitachi HDD connected by eSATA cable, you can also use USB2.0. It also plays CD, SACD, BD, & DVD. It has a volume control so I connect it directly to my basic amp. It has balanced as well as RCA out for two channel, 8 RCAs for multi-channel. It uses two Sabre ES9018 32-bit DAC chip, one for multi-channel and another one dedicated for two channel audio. Pricewise its $1K.

 

Hey Wuwhere, that looks interesting so I went and checked it out online. Weird thing to me is that it has optical and coaxial outputs, but not inputs - so that sorta limits its use as a DAC in some situations doesn't it - such as using it for the dedicated DAC/Pre-Amp from a PC?
 

 

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post #9 of 9
9/1/11 at 8:32pm

You wouldn't need a USB to SPDIF converter. Put all your music in an external hard drive then connect it by eSATA or USB2.0 to the Oppo 95. You don't have to deal with this USB to SPDIF jitter and other problems associated with it.

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