Any advantage to USB DAC/amp + eee pc 901 (XP)

[htbyron]

over my ipod classic (6G) 80GB w/ LOD to portaphile amp?

I have ordered a eee pc 901 with XP, and I'm wondering if it makes sense to get a fairly cheapportable usb DAC/amp like the go-vibe petite or ibasso D2 boa (I wouldn't want to spend much more than one of these).

I suspect I'm better off sticking with my portaphile V2 out of the ipod w/LOD. The portaphile is a very good portable amp -- sold for about $200 a couple of years ago -- and I imagine the amp portions of the petite or boa probably pale in comparison. But I could be wrong about that. And the real question is whether I would get better sound by running foobar --> USB DAC?

Anyone have thoughts about this? It would be a transportable solution. I am very happy with my desktop setup (in my sig). And I am content with the ipod/portaphile combo -- mostly just musing about the possibilities with the new tiny laptop...

 

[FallenAngel]

The DAC in the iPod is pretty nice, but the GoVibe and iBasso have nicer ones. Of course the amps themselves are somewhat worse than the Portaphile. I'd say stick with the PortaPhile. Maybe do the diyMod to your iPod?

 

[Joriarty]

You're probably better off with the 80GB iPOD... that little computer's sound is probably much worse, and it has what, 8GB storage I think?

So yeah, don't spend the money... I doubt you will gain any significant increase in quality from running a DAC/amp off the e pc.

Stick with the iPod

. If you're happy with what you have, don't buy anything else until you need to upgrade. If you follow an endless quest for perfection you'll never get to sit down and enjoy the music, you will always be looking for faults and how to improve them.

Just my .02, though a fair lot of you will probably want to stone me to death for blasphemy

 

[tpc41]

the amp/dac should be an improvement over the computers internal sound and also an ipod's sound. Both laptops and ipod sound quality is limited by the dac's performance and there is no way to simply bypass the ipod dac, so using the laptop with the usb dac will result in the best sound. plus those eee pcs are pretty nice lookin...

 

[Tomikans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joriarty /img/forum/go_quote.gif I doubt you will gain any significant increase in quality from running a DAC/amp off the e pc.

the dac/amp improves any sound that it's usb is connected to. It completely bypasses the soundcard of your computer/laptop and the digital sound goes directly into your dac/amp. It would be kind of pointless if it didn't :S.

 

[Joriarty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomikans /img/forum/go_quote.gif the dac/amp improves any sound that it's usb is connected to. It completely bypasses the soundcard of your computer/laptop and the digital sound goes directly into your dac/amp. It would be kind of pointless if it didn't :S.

[what I said]...... in comparison to his current setup with the iPod.

Sure, it could possibly sound a bit better, but no way worth the money.

 

[tpc41]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joriarty /img/forum/go_quote.gif [what I said]...... in comparison to his current setup with the iPod. Sure, it could possibly sound a bit better, but no way worth the money.

it will definitely be an improvement, the eee pc soundcard is not used at all. A pure digital signal enters the usb dac/amp. The computer being used has little effect on sound quality when using an external dac. There is no doubt that the ibasso dac is better than the eee pc dac. It will also sound much better than an ipod because again, the ibasso dac is better than an ipod dac.