These days many small DVD players are sold, and for lower prices than most CD players. In my experiences DVD players are more forgiving playing CD's and I have never seen one without coaxial output.

The Matrix mini-i only has coax spdif through, which requires another unit to convert it to AES.

I'm looking for an usb connected DAC which has XLR analog outs and a stereo AES/EBU digital through. This because I want to be able to connect my laptop to both analog and digital live audio consoles. Without AES out the chain for digital consoles would be DA-AD-DA which is an unnecessary evil...

Did I say it has to be as tiny as can be? Besides that, the only requirement is a digital audio coax output.   No plastic chinese ebay crap :)

  Quote: Where to find them? You mean those portable ones with built in screens? I hate most of those for their build quality and user interface. Also, if it's a dvd player I'd prefer one with upscaling output.

  Quote: No it's not a transport. The SE version has a digital out, but it is over my budget.

So far, no. Most small transports are over $1k, which I'm very hesitant to spend on a cd player. I'm looking for something under $300 and have already given up on finding a "transport" only and on aes/ebu, there are very few out there.   Right now I'm awaiting the release of the TEAC PDH01...

  Quote: How do you compare the sound of the mini-i's usb to using a 01USD?

Quote: No idea what you mean with a "CDP", but: A CD transport is just like a normal CD player, but without the DAC part. So it only has digital outputs. But you can also use a normal CD player as a transport by using the digital output.

I'd prefer a converter that doesn't require separate drivers on Mac. They exist: Stello U3, but I'm looking for a cheaper option.

I'm looking for a usb to spdif or bnc or aes converter to use with the matrix mini-i. It should support 24/192 without drivers on Mac. The Stello U3 does this but it's a bit too expensive compared to this DAC :).

Anyone using this on a Mac? If so, does it require drivers? I'm looking for a usb to spdif or bnc or aes converter that supports 24/192 without drivers on Mac. Something like the Stello U3 but preferably cheaper :).

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I'm looking for a transport because I'll be using an external DAC. But indeed, almost everything in the cheaper segments has analog outs too. For now I'll be awaiting the first reviews of the TEAC PD-H01, because it looks to be damn neat!  

That's too bad. I will then rephrase my question: what small cd transports are out there? So far I've only found the mentioned Little Dot, but it is very slow at responding. The main requirement is a digital out, with BNC or AES/EBU being a big plus.

Hi all,   I'm looking for a cd/dvd transport to connect to my DAC.   - Small, á la Little Dot CD Transport. - Preferably BNC or AES/EBU audio output. - Separate digital video output, HDMI at minimum. - No multi-channel audio support necessary. - Budget: cheaper is better...

  Quote: I did not call it poor, but not very good, by which I meant there are better ones out there at the same price level. I'm sure it will perform pretty good if it fits your needs.

  Quote: Nice. I'll be hunting down a second hand unit of this 0404. Thanks for the help!

  Quote: There's a switch for coax/optical, yes. But what if I want to switch between USB and coax? Only possible using software?

  Quote:   Thanks. I wouldn't be using the headphone out a lot - even if it sounded great - so it's not much of a problem. When I have a computer connected with usb and a cd player connected with coax to the 0404, how can I switch between the two? It seems there's no input selector on...

  Quote:   Right. Would ±32 Ohm dynamic IEM's sound much worse too? Those impedance curves are much less wild, right? Still low impedance though.   Of course what sounds better is fully subjective, so you can't objectively say that one sounds better than the other. But of course...

  Quote: What is the downside to the high output impedance? Does it mean it can only drive high-impedance headphones? Would it work with IEMs? It might be excellent concerning noise (or the lack of it), but obviously more expensive DAC's can sound much better.

  Quote:   Certainly looks like a decent option. Although it uses the old USB standard which only allows for 44.1/48kHz input. Also, a lot of people seem to dislike how the USB input sounds, even recommending an usb to coaxial converter.   Quote: I'm hesitant to buy...

Hi all,   I'm looking for a DAC to upgrade my system. What I'm looking for: - Balanced XLR outs - Usb in - Coaxial/optical in - Budget €400 max - With volume knob (to connect directly to active speakers) - Optional with headphone amp   So far the only DAC's I found that match...

Well I'm going to try the Shure olive tips then. I've had no problems with other iem's, so my ears somehow just don't like the tips of these phones in particular.

I've been using the PFE's for two months now, and they disappointed me a bit. Sound-wise they are really awesome, as for the rest... I can't seem to get the fit right, have to push them back in every two minutes. Besides that they somehow make my ears generate lots of earwax while using them...