[GCTD]

I'm excited! This is my first serious amp, so far I've had just SMSL SD-793II and HiFi-M8 (which is my biggest jump yet). Now I just need a good DAC. There's an affordable one at Massdrop right now and it's the GUSTARD DAC-X12 for $439.99 which also looks about the same size which means it looks stackable, but if anyone else know other options let me known a.s.a.p.

 

[bflat]

  I'm excited! This is my first serious amp, so far I've had just SMSL SD-793II and HiFi-M8 (which is my biggest jump yet). Now I just need a good DAC. There's an affordable one at Massdrop right now and it's the GUSTARD DAC-X12 for $439.99 which also looks about the same size which means it looks stackable, but if anyone else know other options let me known a.s.a.p.

Take a look at the Teac UD-301. It's on promotion now and will run you $300 after rebate and features dual BurrBrown DACs and balanced XLR out. I got mine at crutchfield.com and they offer a 60 day return policy.

 

[GCTD]

 
Take a look at the Teac UD-301. It's on promotion now and will run you $300 after rebate and features dual BurrBrown DACs and balanced XLR out. I got mine at crutchfield.com and they offer a 60 day return policy.

 
It's really good price, how are the BurrBrown compared to SabreES9018?

 

[Dopaminer]

Take a look at the Teac UD-301. It's on promotion now and will run you $300 after rebate and features dual BurrBrown DACs and balanced XLR out. I got mine at crutchfield.com and they offer a 60 day return policy.

+1 on the TEAC, i love mine. 'm

 

[goldendarko]

+1 on the TEAC, i love mine. 'm

 


Looks like a great feature set for only $300, but how does it sound? Seemes weird that this cheap little DAC can do DSD but brand new TOTL DAC's like the Yggy cant?

 

[zachawry]

Just out of curiosity, what do people use as audio source when using a DAC like the Teak, Yggdrasil, etc.? An iPod, a computer? 
 
(I have an AK, so my source and DAC are one and the same.) 

 

[goldendarko]

Just out of curiosity, what do people use as audio source when using a DAC like the Teak, Yggdrasil, etc.? An iPod, a computer? 


 


(I have an AK, so my source and DAC are one and the same.) 

 


There's all different options obviously, but I'd be willing to bet computer is the most common source nowadays. Anyways, that's what I use with my Vega

 

[manualvin]

Hiya,
 
I'm number 667 in the queue, no indication about the readiness to ship though, will we get it this year?
 
International economy shipping i paid more than USD 80 though to ship to singapore, that's really pricey for the size, i would have thought it should be USD 40 but at least it does get shipped to here, am hoping that i receive the right power cable though, 220 V and UK region power socket, is there such an option?
 
For balanced DAC i do have Geek Pulse Infinity hopefully arriving in next few months or i can use Pono which is balanced...if i have the right cables, anybody using Pono, what termination points do i need?
 
Cheers,
manualvin

 

[elwappo99]

 

+1 on the TEAC, i love mine. 'm

 


Looks like a great feature set for only $300, but how does it sound? Seemes weird that this cheap little DAC can do DSD but brand new TOTL DAC's like the Yggy cant?

 
Jason has a few posts concerning DSD and why Schiit decided to not implement it in their products (aside from that one dedicated DSD unit). 
 
Almost all units that are "capable" of DSD in fact just convert the DSD stream to PCM and then process like normal, so there's not anything really gained by this (if there was any SQ difference with DSD). 

 

[estreeter]

  Just out of curiosity, what do people use as audio source when using a DAC like the Teak, Yggdrasil, etc.? An iPod, a computer? 
 
(I have an AK, so my source and DAC are one and the same.) 

 
I caved into the 'nothing beats a good CD transport' crowd initially and bought this:
 
http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=ReferenceSeries&ProductId=SA14S1
 
No question that its a very good CD/SACD player - excellent headamp too - but it didnt take long before I was plugging my Macbook Pro into the USB input and ignoring whatever differences there may or may not be in terms of SQ : the important thing is being able to enjoy everything from Youtube vids to DSD without having to constantly second guess yourself. Beware the extremists in this hobby - they get a kick out of spending your money. 

 

[warrenpchi]

 

  Just out of curiosity, what do people use as audio source when using a DAC like the Teak, Yggdrasil, etc.? An iPod, a computer? 

There's all different options obviously, but I'd be willing to bet computer is the most common source nowadays. Anyways, that's what I use with my Vega

 
I would concur.  And services like TIDAL and Qobuz make a computer (or tablet) even more compelling.

 

[goldendarko]

 
I would concur.  And services like TIDAL and Qobuz make a computer (or tablet) even more compelling.

 


Agreed, even with all of my hi-res music I'd say I still spend about 70% of my listening time on TIDAL. Always trying to find something new (unfortunately for my wallet that statement also applies to gear)

 

[GCTD]

I caved into the 'nothing beats a good CD transport' crowd initially and bought this:

http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=ReferenceSeries&ProductId=SA14S1

No question that its a very good CD/SACD player - excellent headamp too - but it didnt take long before I was plugging my Macbook Pro into the USB input and ignoring whatever differences there may or may not be in terms of SQ : the important thing is being able to enjoy everything from Youtube vids to DSD without having to constantly second guess yourself. Beware the extremists in this hobby - they get a kick out of spending your money. 

I would have to agree that the most vocal of the headfi community do have a tendency to echo popular expensive gears. But I think it's just the facade. I come from PC building and the PC gamers also get this effect especially among console gamers who only see it as an expensive hobby. But if you stick around in the PC forums there's more budget $300-600 PC gaming build than custom water cooled builds that usually range in the $2000-5000+. I'm new here in HeadFi but I can see the resemblance in the passion with gear, although, it is a bit harder to find those budget threads here or that I'm not just navigating the whole site yet. End of babble.

 

[warrenpchi]

 

 
I would concur.  And services like TIDAL and Qobuz make a computer (or tablet) even more compelling.

 
Agreed, even with all of my hi-res music I'd say I still spend about 70% of my listening time on TIDAL. Always trying to find something new

(unfortunately for my wallet that statement also applies to gear)

 
It (TIDAL in my case) is like a music discovery tool that you don't have to stop listening to once you discover that you like the music... especially since I listen to a lot of 16/44 anyway.  And for the cost of 1.5 CDs per month, I get access to sooo much.  No brainer.  

 

[Currawong]

 

I caved into the 'nothing beats a good CD transport' crowd initially and bought this:

http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=ReferenceSeries&ProductId=SA14S1

No question that its a very good CD/SACD player - excellent headamp too - but it didnt take long before I was plugging my Macbook Pro into the USB input and ignoring whatever differences there may or may not be in terms of SQ : the important thing is being able to enjoy everything from Youtube vids to DSD without having to constantly second guess yourself. Beware the extremists in this hobby - they get a kick out of spending your money. 

I would have to agree that the most vocal of the headfi community do have a tendency to echo popular expensive gears. But I think it's just the facade. I come from PC building and the PC gamers also get this effect especially among console gamers who only see it as an expensive hobby. But if you stick around in the PC forums there's more budget $300-600 PC gaming build than custom water cooled builds that usually range in the $2000-5000+. I'm new here in HeadFi but I can see the resemblance in the passion with gear, although, it is a bit harder to find those budget threads here or that I'm not just navigating the whole site yet. End of babble.

I do think about the gear thing a lot -- we do tend to have an interest in what is new and impressive. What it has come down to for me is whether the big spend for that extra few percent of dynamics and detail is worth it. I've started pointing out when I make a video that the important thing is what makes you enjoy listening to the music you like. In my case, my stock car system is actually more enjoyable to listen with for a lot of music I like than my home system, which is far more resolving. A lot of stuff I stream at 128k in the car just sounds like crap when you can hear warts and all in the recording. A lot of stuff sounds even more fantastic though. 
 
What I like about the Liquid Carbon is how it makes music fun, more like how I enjoy my car system. No fancy stuff, just pure entertainment. I stopped thinking about the gear when listening with it and just enjoyed it. That is what I reckon the best gear does I reckon, whether it be cheap or expensive. That story Warren told about me wanting to finish listening to the track before coming down to dinner was true. Only a few rigs have ever had that effect on me. Am I contributing to the hype? Sure, guilty as charged, but I reckon this one is worth it.