[Darksoul]

Greetings.

I'm on the market for a balanced output DAC to feed my Violectric V200. The budget I have for it is whatever; good deal, I can get for my gen 1 Chord Hugo.

So far I've reached a point where I'm pretty much satisfied with my current headphones. But since this is a hobby, I want to use the balanced inputs of my V200, they are just gathering dust. Reading on DACs, they tend to measure better on their balanced outputs, I figured: let's try a balanced output DAC just for fun. For that experiment the Hugo would gather dust, so it makes perfect sense to part with it. In the meantime I would use my trusty topping D30, in all honesty it doesn't sound THAT different from the Hugo.

I've been doing some reading. Topping and SMSL seem to have some very strong balanced DACs, I just need to figure out how to get one in the country and not get devoured by taxes. The Violectric V850 seems like a good choice, but without any measurements from amirm at ASR I don't want to risk it.

Any recommendations?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Ryodan]

i have the smsl su-8 balanced dac and i absolutely love it, it's not that expensive at 250$ and it has a good set of features and it sounds great to me.
i haven't tried any other balanced dac to be honest so i can't compare it to other dacs.

 

[bogginhead]

I have a TEAC UD-301s that I purchased from a user on Reddit's AVexchange. So far it's been what's probably been the best and most versatile buy I've made since getting into the hobby a couple of years ago. And it sounds damn good, too.

 

[Darksoul]

Thank you both for the recommendations. Lately I've grown extremely interested in the RME ADI-2 DAC. So much that I'm waiting for the holidays to end so I can talk with the RME distributor in my city and try to schedule an appointment.

I'll look into the TEAC UD-301S, but unless I come across something similar; or better, at a similar price to the RME ADI-2 DAC. It's going to be part of my house, it may be my last DAC purchase (hopefully).

What blew my mind about the RME is the manual...it's thick (long in PDF), it reads like a very experienced, very knowledgeable, engineering team manifesto. It has a 5 band PARAMETRIC EQ! I've wanted that for so long. It has 20 EQ settings, per channel! Like I'm ever going to use that but I still want it. It also has like 5 crossfeed modes, it has loudness setting; so the bass and the treble have the same intensity regardless of the sound level you listen at.

It also has a really decent headphone amplifier. One for "Extreme Power" and other for IEM. Accoding to RME their IEM output it's the cleanest in the world, they have the graphs to prove it. Look at how the present the power output:

It's the first time I've seen it like that. That output stage gives my V200 a run for its money. It has an analyzer, it freaking plays DSD up to...really high. It doesn't have MQA, but...megh. I don't even have that much music in DSD, let alone in MQA. Oh, it also has the balanced output, because of course it does. It has a screen! because of course it does. I like that it's not a blind, mute box that does magic with blinking LEDs. I can interact, play with it...until I get bored/overwhelmed with it and never move a setting again.

Both its headphone output and its DAC measure close to perfection. If I had know this existed before I bought my Hugo...anyway. I mean, does anyone know of another manufacturer that also does this...outrageous thing with their DACs? Benchmark? SPL?

Hell, if this DAC it's as good as I hope it is, down the road I would get an AMP that measures up to it. Well, unless the V200 is outclassed. Here's hoping these two play nice with each other.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

There is a huge thread on this DAC. I have one. It's great, you can't go wrong with it unless you need MQA.

However, for a lot of headphones you still need a separate amp.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Thank you both for the recommendations. Lately I've grown extremely interested in the RME ADI-2 DAC. So much that I'm waiting for the holidays to end so I can talk with the RME distributor in my city and try to schedule an appointment.



Hell, if this DAC it's as good as I hope it is, down the road I would get an AMP that measures up to it. Well, unless the V200 is outclassed. Here's hoping these two play nice with each other.

Best move to be made, except you won't to play with things and just listen to music (like the most of us, i think).

But i've to say, it's getting my interest too.
Just for the possibilities. ^^