BNC can be used as coax SPDIF with a simple and very cheap adapter.  I'm going to use it as a second coax spdif with a portable recording interface.  I just got a female BNC female to RCA male adapter for pennies to use a regular BNC cable with it.  I'll put the BNC end on the DC-1, and the RCA...

I rate the DC-1 very highly as a preamp.  I love the volume knob on it, you can spin it fast for bigger changes, or slowly for those 0.25 dB steps.  You can also quickly just press it for a mute, love that feature.  The remote is built solidly and works from all kind of odd angles.  I love the...

My thoughts now are the headphone amp is very clean sounding, but that's it's best attribute.  It's not big, exciting, or anything like that.  Just gets the job done in a basic manner.   The USB input sounds just as good as any of the other inputs.  The only problem is the possibility of noise...

Thanks for the feedback on the Emotiva DC-1 headphone amp, Gary.  I now want to continue with experimentation in that area... I am looking at AMB Labs and Bottlehead currently as ideas... not quite sure which way to head first...

that's a sick rig, mannnnn, looks awesome

  You won't regret it.

I agree.  Buy this thing, I say!!  I still think it's an incredible piece, weeks on in, I'm floored.  You might get USB noise, or you might not, and it is solvable if you do get it.

I just installed my USB galvanic isolator, $25 from ebay, all my USB computer related noise is now gone!  I really wish Emotiva had designed this into the DC-1, that seems like an oversight seeing how common it is for noise to crop up, by posts in this thread.   This may have helped your...

Damn it I am getting USB noise.  I notice it mainly on my unbalanced speakers/amp and headphones.  For some reason my balanced monitors don't get the noise.  Unplugging the USB cable kills the noise.  I guess I am going to have to order a USB ground isolator, oh well!  I found one for $25...

  In features alone, it is a big step up for the same money (as the USB Uber Bifrost).  I haven't heard the Schiit but I'd like to.  You get analog volume control, audio input, more digital inputs, headphone amp, remote control, balanced outputs   The DC-1 is more similar to the Gungnir in...

  Of course it can.  You can use the DAC in fixed output mode and ignore the volume attenuator.  Or you can use it in variable volume mode and use the volume knob on the DC-1, both.  With the Audio input selected you aren't even using the DAC, you can control the volume of a record player for...

Yep a touch just mutes.  Hold for 5 secs to turn off.  It doesn't fully power down, it goes to "standby" and still feels pretty warm to my hand even after being on standby for hours.  You'd have to reach around the back for the switch for a true power down.

I see it a little different from the recording engineer perspective, I'd say for me it's like this   the jump from entry level / mid grade DAC to high end DAC is staggering!  And quite noticable indeed.   I consider the Emotiva to be a high end DAC.  It just happens to be priced well...at...

Me too!

  Can't find it, do you have a link?

  Questiuun: do you prefer the 20 Hz boost mode, or change jumpers to flat mode?   This thing does sound great but the bass is yes quite large.  Really impressive headphone sound.  My K702 sound more detailed than ever.

Just an update.  Now that I've spent some time with it, I actually am starting to prefer the extra clarity of the DC-1 volume attenuator.  Especially through my less bright pair of speakers, it's really quite nice.   I am going to give some time to the headphone amp, now.  All I have to...

  No, don't think so.   As I said in my post, it was a shocking change from what I was used to, so I had to kind of...get used to it.  I'm still not sure if I prefer it.  Nothing wrong with my gear.

It's a bit hard to describe, but it sounds "thin" or maybe scooped in the mids.  It seemed to emphasize a grating sound quality, and reduce fullness.  The SM Pro passive potentiometer in comparison sounds somewhat fuller and smoother.  It's kind of subtle, but my ears can tell the difference.  ...

The Emotiva is a high end, no compromises DAC, the Sound Blaster is a consumer product, I don't think there would be any comparison, the Emotiva should easily sound a lot better.   I don't like the volume control on the DC-1, it sounds bad, I would keep using the Nano Patch.  I need that big...

I am blown away by the Emotiva DC-1.  I posted a full review here http://www.realgearonline.com/thread/720/emotiva-dc-1?page=1&scrollTo=11885   I have not focused on the headphone amp, but I have been listening a lot on headphones.  I like the SM Pro M Patch 2 better as a volume controller...

Burn in during manufacturing of electronic devices is mainly to test for failures of components in the first 24 to whatever hours, before shipping out the products for sale.  It is well known that bad components are very likely to fail early in use, so doing this saves a lot of headaches because...

I just ordered one too!  The sooner the better but I'm ok to wait a few days.  Emotiva is such a cool company.  Read their mission statement.   I will be comparing to an Echo Audiofire, which I have been listening to for over half a decade..  into an SM Pro M Patch 2 which does my volume...

I'd love any more talk on these..   I'm seeing the Emotiva Stealth DC-1 as having WAY more features than the Schiit, Analog volume control and input, plus headphone amp and balanced outputs.  This could replace my monitor controler/headphone amp all at once in a single compact unit, and would...

I went back in and used a thinner piece of foam in my K702--a little goes a long way.  I used about what the Q701 stock foam circle looks like in pictures.  Sound is a little tighter now than with no dampening, but still a bit spacious with a little more of those stock mids, compared to using a...