[paara]

I have been trying to decide which DAC to choose the last 3-4 months.

I will be using USB from my computer. Budget has been lowered to 6-700$
Does anyone have any experience with any of these dacs??

The DACs that look tempting to me are:

Music Hall dac25.5 -------- $599.00 LINK
PS Audio Digital Link III --- $695.00 LINK
Stello DA100 -------------- $695.00 <----- 5 recommendation LINK
PICO DAC (The underdog) -$299.00 LINK


Grateful for any input

EDIT: Have limited the options to 4 dacs.

Removed due to some unscientific reasons and budget limitations
Brigatta (pacific valve) $885.00
Mhdt Havanna $899.00
Headroom Ultra Micro DAC $599.00 <-- 1 recommendation
CI Audio VDA-2 with E-MU 0404 <-- 3 recommendation

PLEASE DO NOT POST ANY NEW DAC RECOMMENDATIONS (unless they are really good

)

 

[obobskivich]

have you looked at the Benchmark DAC1 with USB or Cambridge Audio DACMagic or CI Audio VDA-2 w/VRX-1 upgrade (and optional VAC-1 PSU)?


....its ok to hate me for adding more choices

I should also ask, this doesn't need to be an hp amplifier, does it? (you're just going between whatever digital source (CD transport, computer, etc) and whatever amplifier/preamplifier, right?)

 

[paara]

the Benchmark is too expensive for me at 1295$
the CI Audio VDA-2 w/VRX-1 upgrade doesnt have USB i belive (?)
I did look at the cambridge but I am not sure if it as good as the DACs I listed.

Hehe I love choices

Thats the problem.

I do not need a DAC with an amp and rather have one without. Strictly between my pc and an HP amp

Thank you for your post

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif the Benchmark is too expensive for me at 1295$ the CI Audio VDA-2 w/VRX-1 upgrade doesnt have USB i belive (?) I did look at the cambridge but I am not sure if it as good as the DACs I listed. Hehe I love choices Thats the problem. I do not need a DAC with an amp, I rather have on without. Strictly between my pc and an HP amp Thank you for your post

ok, the lack of an amp makes life nicer, more choices

can I ask, what do you have now, as a source?

didn't catch that this was strictly for a PC, and honestly I have to ask, is there any reason you MUST have USB?

going with something that gives you a S/PDIF output would let the VDA-2 work, it would also let the Benchmark DAC1 (the non-USB version, which is about 300 bucks cheaper) be an option

also lets the D/A be used with another transport down the line (CD, DVD, etc)

 

[paara]

I only have a hot audio dac which use the 2702 chip. (Hot audio Dac supreme)

I am not very satisfied with it, the improvement over my HP out from my notebook is slight if non.

Thus I want to be sure that I get a good one.

Yes it must be usb. I work with my computer 10-12 hours a day. And I have only mp3 (and vinyl

)

I am not a big fan going from one format to another (usp-->spdif) And that would also cast me mony that I could use on a better "usb Dac"

Most of the usb have coax and toslink input anyway so I will not be bound to usb, but that comes in low on my list of important features

 

[insyte]

Hehe go for the stello

 

[Bones13]

Watch for DACs in the the For Sale Forum, you might get lucky and pick up the new Benchmark, or Lavry with USB.

Also recommended is the Headroom Ultra Micro DAC, with Astrodyne PS. Would fit in your budget, be good, and offer all the options.

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am not a big fan going from one format to another (usp-->spdif) And that would also cast me mony that I could use on a better "usb Dac"

you misunderstand the technology then, all USB "DACs" (such a misleading term, I honestly hate it) are simply USB devices which generate a S/PDIF signal, which is then sent through a D/A

my suggestion would be to go with an internal soundcard, or external soundcard (if you absolutely must, due to owning a laptop or netbook), take its S/PDIF output and feed it along to your D/A

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by insyte /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hehe go for the stello

Thank you for your recommendation


Quote:

Originally Posted by Bones13 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Watch for DACs in the the For Sale Forum, you might get lucky and pick up the new Benchmark, or Lavry with USB. Also recommended is the Headroom Ultra Micro DAC, with Astrodyne PS. Would fit in your budget, be good, and offer all the options.

I will look there. There is a problem with som of the dac though because I need 220. But I will surly be looking there. But I still need to make a decision.

I will check out the ultra micro dac, I have not looked at that one yet.

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obobskivich /img/forum/go_quote.gif you misunderstand the technology then, all USB "DACs" (such a misleading term, I honestly hate it) are simply USB devices which generate a S/PDIF signal, which is then sent through a D/A my suggestion would be to go with an internal soundcard, or external soundcard (if you absolutely must, due to owning a laptop or netbook), take its S/PDIF output and feed it along to your D/A

No I know that. But I rather not have an extra unit. ANd I would also prefere a DAC that didnt use USB to spdif, but I dont know which once that dont use this technology

My laptop is not very fancy so it has only a usb output

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif No I know that. But I rather not have an extra unit. My laptop is not very fancy so it has only a usb output

you have no PCMCIA or ExpressCard slots even? nor FireWire?


honestly I would still consider a proper audio processor and external D/A, over a device designed to use "just USB", unless it needs to be easily transportable, in which case, ignore that

I x2 the suggestion on Headroom, or the CI Audio (which you could afford along with an external device, such as the E-MU 0404, the VRX-1 is only required for balanced operation (and you could probably get the cable custom built for you, or make it yourself, for less than the $150 CI wants))

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obobskivich /img/forum/go_quote.gif you have no PCMCIA or ExpressCard slots even? nor FireWire? honestly I would still consider a proper audio processor and external D/A, over a device designed to use "just USB", unless it needs to be easily transportable, in which case, ignore that I x2 the suggestion on Headroom, or the CI Audio (which you could afford along with an external device, such as the E-MU 0404, the VRX-1 is only required for balanced operation (and you could probably get the cable custom built for you, or make it yourself, for less than the $150 CI wants))

I think I am starting to fall off at this point. I am not 100% sure what you mean. The unit does not need to be portable. But my computer has all my music and it has only usb output, not even a slot for PCMCIA.

But it is better to have a usb to spdif processor and then a D/A convertor?

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think I am starting to fall off at this point. I am not 100% sure what you mean. The unit does not need to be portable. But my computer has all my music and it has only usb output, not even a slot for PCMCIA.

quite bluntly, that sucks (I feel for you, took me years to get away from systems like that entirely, its not cheap)


Quote:

But it is better to have a usb to spdif processor and then a D/A convertor?

personally, I like having an audio processor separate from my D/A, honestly I can't say which solution is "best", we're comparing a ~$150-$200 transport and ~$650 DAC to a ~$900 DAC with USB capabilities built in, so I really don't know how it'd pan out (sorry)

I can tell you, most USB solutions (in terms of "USB DAC") are limited to 16/48, while a number of processors (like the 0404) can do 24/96, (and most of the D/A's you're looking at will do 24/96 or 16/96 via S/PDIF, but not neccisarily via USB), to me, that'd be somewhat of an advantage (either way you're spending ~$1000, my point would be, why not go for "maximum features available" inside of that budget?)

theres also solutions like the DACMagic which accept both quite readily, you could buy a device with that kind of functionality, and something like the 0404, test both out, if you positively don't feel the audio processor to be worth the money/time, return it (or resell it)

 

[paara]

Thanks again obobskivich, I find your posts very constructive and usefull.
I gonna give your suggestions some serious thinking (which I do not thank you for

)

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks again obobskivich, I find your posts very constructive and usefull. I gonna give your suggestions some serious thinking (which I do not thank you for )

just to qualify, since my first post, I never said I was making your decision easier, I said I was adding more options

I do honestly apologize for not having a clear-cut answer for you, because I've obviously not owned EVERY component in the thread (that'd be like what? roughly USD $10k of sources? haha), just hoping to give you "better clear-cut options to consider"