Which USB DAC? -- as good or better than Monitor02, <$250, and plays nice with LINUX(!)...and I...

I've just been reading a bit about whats out there now.  The popular contenders appear to be Audio GD NFB-12, Yulong U100, Audinst HUD, Maverick D1.  Between these I lean towards Audio-GD and Yulong.  I am really only interested in DAC performance and am wondering if there are any "just a USB DAC" units that would be better and/or as good but cheaper than those listed above.  Note:  I have a uDac2 and it falls noticeably short of the Monitor02.  

In case you are wondering, the Monitor02 doesn't work with Linux.  I have probably ten computers in my house.  I'm sick of maintaining a Windoze machine just so I can use the Monitor02. 

I posted in this forum instead of Computer Audio because there seems to be a lot of focus there on units with a headphone amp bundled in over there.  I thought I might get some slightly different answers here.  I have amps a plenty and don't need a one in there (though I'm not opposed to it), just RCA output.  It WOULD be nice if it could drive long interconnects.  I would pay extra for that ability.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjikiran 

Just about any driverless dac with a USB output should be perfectly fine with Linux.  

Yea, I know.  Mentioning Linux hopefully ensures that I don't get suggestions for one of the few that doesn't work with Linux.  I offered to take a look and see if I could help out writing some drivers for the Monitor02 but they weren't interested (which isn't surprising).  I think it sounds pretty good for its price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiteki 

 

I find my Hifiman HM-101 Express DAC/Amp better than the Yulong U100.

 

I returned the Yulong U100 to China it was a huge hassle.

 

 

I definitely need something with RCA output at ~2V or more.  HM-101 is a no go.

What was wrong with the U100?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjikiran 

TBH the best solution(long lasting) would be to get a USB--->Spdif converter(easy to determine if it needs a driver on site), or a decent internal sound card with spdif out(many of the studio cards are supported under linux)

This is true in some ways and I hadn't really thought about it much.  The computer I'm contemplating using it with has S/PDIF out now.  My hesitation is that I have *many* computers and it would be nice to have a single device that worked with whatever hardware each has -- which means USB.  On the other hand, a USB --> S/PDIF + DAC of choice has the same capability, just another device hanging off.  I'm really glad you mentioned this because I'm really going to consider it.  Thanks.  

Well, I've pretty much decided on the HRT MusicStreamer II.  Seems very highly regarded for the price.  As I said, I don't need a headphone amp in there with it.  I have a couple of amps already and am amassing piles of parts to build something else.  

As for the comments on the Yulong not sounding good...sounds like much of the problem was the integrated headphone amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacknile 

I own both the HRT Music Streamer II and the HRT Streamer II+. Both fantastic designs. I use both routinely with linux with no problems whatsoever. I can confirm they work perfectly with Ubuntu, Fedora and SuSE. 

Thanks, I found strong indications that that was the case but it is nice to hear it stated definitively.  I think the MusicStreamer is going to be my graduation present to myself.  I just have to finish the incomplete that is my senior software project.  Getting school work done is harder when you are 40, have small kids, and a working wife who (rightly) believes that since you aren't working you should be doing everything else that needs doing.  Pretty cheap present since it means I can sell the Monitor02 and the extra laptop I keep around just to run it.  Of course after I graduate I'll probably end up with a job working in C# and .net and have to start running a Windoze box again...