Anyone have a lot of experience with this? Esp. through USB?
I spent 20 minutes with one today at the store. Unfortunately, they didn't have a USB setup, so I couldn't audition it specifically for my intended purpose.
However, listening with a Linn as transport (either a Genki or a Ikemi, I wasn't paying attention) through the coax SPDIF, I wasn't too impressed. I found the performance through my home USB M-Audio Transit optical -> Chord DAC64 to be far superior. Which it should be, for 3 times the price. Of course, it was certainly much better than the M-Audio Transit's built-in DAC (which, again, I would hope it would be, given the price).
I guess I was disappointed, as I hoped the Mini-DAC would come close to the Chord DAC64, as I am looking to supplement my computer-based secondary rig. But the performance gap was just too big to justify a purchase (esp as the price in Japan is more than double what it retails for in the States).
Somewhat related - I wonder how useful USB connectivity really is, especially if you can pick up a M-Audio Transit and optical out to a pretty jitter resistant DAC.
Incidentally, I used the Apogee Mini-DAC with my Senn HD-600, fed by both the Mini-DAC's headphone jack and the line-out to a SR-71. The headphone jack could definitely drive the Senns loud, but not with nearly the clarity or separation as the SR-71.
Overall, thought the performance gap was a bit too much to justify a purchase. Guess I'll have to lug the Chord DAC64 from the living room to the office a bit longer until something turns up. Hopefully one of you guys will post that I should give it a second try.
-Jason
I spent 20 minutes with one today at the store. Unfortunately, they didn't have a USB setup, so I couldn't audition it specifically for my intended purpose.
However, listening with a Linn as transport (either a Genki or a Ikemi, I wasn't paying attention) through the coax SPDIF, I wasn't too impressed. I found the performance through my home USB M-Audio Transit optical -> Chord DAC64 to be far superior. Which it should be, for 3 times the price. Of course, it was certainly much better than the M-Audio Transit's built-in DAC (which, again, I would hope it would be, given the price).
I guess I was disappointed, as I hoped the Mini-DAC would come close to the Chord DAC64, as I am looking to supplement my computer-based secondary rig. But the performance gap was just too big to justify a purchase (esp as the price in Japan is more than double what it retails for in the States).
Somewhat related - I wonder how useful USB connectivity really is, especially if you can pick up a M-Audio Transit and optical out to a pretty jitter resistant DAC.
Incidentally, I used the Apogee Mini-DAC with my Senn HD-600, fed by both the Mini-DAC's headphone jack and the line-out to a SR-71. The headphone jack could definitely drive the Senns loud, but not with nearly the clarity or separation as the SR-71.
Overall, thought the performance gap was a bit too much to justify a purchase. Guess I'll have to lug the Chord DAC64 from the living room to the office a bit longer until something turns up. Hopefully one of you guys will post that I should give it a second try.
-Jason
