[Steph86]

Okay here goes,
I have been wanting to buy a DAC for quite a while now and have been looking at all the ones available on the market, (city pulse, Keces, Lite Audio DAC modified, Musiland and have finally decided to go for the Zhaolu.

My budget is £200 (400$) and my source is going to be my computer. I don't have a sound card and would therefore like to use usb unless there is another way of me getting a good signal.

I have been checking out most of the Zhaolu DAC's but don't know which one will give me the best sound. Sound is the most important thing to me, size colour etc.. does not matter. It will be used with a pair of AKG 701 or hd 650's (still deciding which one to go for lol) and also either a darkvoice 332 or 336se or little dot MKIVse (and again I don't know which one of these to choose).

However all that aside, which one of the following has the best sound quality I am happy to do some mods if need be as long as it doesn't go over my budget of $400

1: Zhaolu D3 + DG link card (from cryo-parts) - $379

2: Zhaolu D2.5C + two upgrades + headamp upgrade + PC link II (from cryo-parts) - $400

3: Zhaolu modded by oritek (don't know the price)

4: Anything I may have missed?

If anyone can think of another DAC for this price which is better than any one of these Zhaolus your advice and help would be really good thanks.

Regards
Steph

 

[1UP]

You factored in the need for a headphone amp, right?

£200 with PC as source; there's also the Trends UD10 which rather flexibly promises to perform as a transport, a DAC and a headamp all in one.

I'd consider going for a high quality soundcard; there's a slew of them out right now with good onboard DACs like the AK4396 - take a look at the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude - think the new revisions of the 0404 have it, too. There's also the 1212M (CS4398), et al...

The Zhaolu+TG-link option looks interesting cause of the promise of running I2S from that card, but there's been little feedback yet, so you'd be an early adopter if you were to go for that.

 

[spacemanspliff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1UP /img/forum/go_quote.gif You factored in the need for a headphone amp, right? £200 with PC as source; there's also the Trends UD10 which gives you a headamp for free. I'd consider going for a high quality soundcard; there's a slew of them out right now with good onboard DACs like the AK4396 - take a look at the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude.

lol mate that headphone amp in the trends is not acceptable. the SOUND coming out of the td-10 IS.

Truthfully, you can get the Trends TD-10, spend $100 or so on the dac and the same amount for the amp and have a STELLAR setup.

My lowly dac is the oldest digital dolby pre amp ever made and it sounds wonderful with the TD-10. Not nearly as defined and lively without it.

 

[Dominat0r]

I just got a upgraded zhalou and it sounds pretty nice to say the least. You can see my signature for specs on the upgrades. Mine is a 2.5A.

 

[1UP]

The point was it gives him another option and a way to run his cans depending on his headamp plans, and indeed, if he wants lineout to a dedicated headamp, the Oritek-Zhalou would look a better option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemanspliff /img/forum/go_quote.gif My lowly dac is the oldest digital dolby pre amp ever made and it sounds wonderful with the TD-10. Not nearly as defined and lively without it. Amps/Source: Realtek onboard > Trends Audio TD-10>Sony 1000ESD Pre

Tip for you - unless you're doing some funky switching/eq/downsampling(!) with the realtek, take it out of your chain and go straight from the PC's USB to the Trends then to the Sony Pre (presumably digital input?).

 

[Steph86]

I think there may have been a little confusion.
I have £400 to spend £200 on a DAC and £200 on tube amp like darkvoice 332 or 336se or maybe a little dot mk IV. so basically i want the best sounding DAC for £200.

 

[1UP]

Then I reiterate an audiophile soundcard is your best choice. Check out E-Mu 0404 (USB or PCI) or 1212m, ESI Juli@, or Auzentech Prelude. My advice would be to go for the 1212M if 2-channel sound quality is your highest priority, 0404 USB if you like the breakout box interface and want USB, Prelude if you want surround at some point and more user-friendly drivers - it also offers some easy opamp rolling options

 

[Steph86]

The only problem with going for a sound card and not an external DAC is if in the furture I decide to use it with another device other than my computer I can't.

 

[1UP]

True, but if it's what you're using now, you won't do better on an external DAC until you spend well over £500.

Also, if you move away from the PC in the future, you'll have no problem making a lot of your money back by selling the E-Mu cards here or on ebay. They're in high demand.

None of the PC solutions I listed even come real close to £200. You can spend the savings on the amp or CDs.

 

[Steph86]

The E-MU 1212m is only £110, its almost half what I have to spend. Are you sure it is better in sound quality than the zhalou 2.5c or 3?

 

[Lazarus Short]

Not having a lot of money to spend, I recently opted to find a used DAC on eBay. In the past I had had a Theta Cobalt [very good] and an Audio Alchemy DDE v1.0 [not so good]. I put several DAC's on my watch list, and they all went too high, except one. I ended up with a very early Sony ES unit for a little over $70, and I am well satisfied with it. It has a headphone out [variable!] and the cosmetics are so-so, but I don't care.

Maybe that will give you some ideas...

 

[spacemanspliff]

Tip for you - unless you're doing some funky switching/eq/downsampling(!) with the realtek, take it out of your chain and go straight from the PC's USB to the Trends then to the Sony Pre (presumably digital input?).[/QUOTE]

lol that is what I do.

ty though.

Winamp Ogg-Vorbis Archer Beta plug in ftw. Sound is super clean.

I guess I made a mistake in my sig though. I just figured onboard usb output was via realtek?

Oh and yes the old Sony ES stuff is tops. I can attest to that.

 

[1UP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph86 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The E-MU 1212m is only £110, its almost half what I have to spend. Are you sure it is better in sound quality than the zhalou 2.5c or 3?

More money doesn't mean better sound.

Not heard the Zhaolu's but they're popular. The headamp and your headphones will have more influence on the final sound - you just want a good and flexible source. The 1212M would do that and more. It's a quality source and superb value. If you want to spend more money, look also at the 0404 USB.

 

[1UP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemanspliff /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess I made a mistake in my sig though. I just figured onboard usb output was via realtek?

No. USB bypasses it.

 

[22906]

The Zhaolu does not have USB. You should reconsider the Keces DA-151, and also look at the Diyeden SVDAC05.