[comzee]

I recently purchased a pair of Presonus Sceptre S8 powered speakers.
They sound good, but nowhere near as good as my HD800 (not sure what I was expecting).
 
Since I won't be using them for listening to music anymore, I wanted to use them for my home entertainment setup (TV). 
The problem is, these are balanced speakers, and I don't have a balanced DAC for the entertainment center.
Even though I could connect the speakers using unbalanced cables, they are almost unusable this way. Tons of static. 
 
Good thing is, I power my entire entertainment system off a PC. So I can buy pretty much any DAC I want to use with these speakers.
Problem is, I just got done getting an Audio-GD Master 7, and don't want to spend a ton to make these speakers work.
 
The cheapest balanced DAC I found anywhere was $500. Is there any cheaper alternatives?

 

[defbear]

I got the Emotiva Stealth Dac 1 for $450.00. There was a 10% Off sale. I do,not know if it is still going on. I'm enjoying it sound and would purchase again.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

I don't know if it's the very cheapest but the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 gets good reviews, has balanced outs for connection to monitors and costs ~$150, 125 Euro. £90.
 
http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2/specifications

 

[larsv]

HRT Streamer HD gets some nice reviews, but I can't find any comparisons tot other dacs.

 

[comzee]

  I don't know if it's the very cheapest but the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 gets good reviews, has balanced outs for connection to monitors and costs ~$150, 125 Euro. £90.
 
http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2/specifications

Coincidentally my friend has a Scarlet 2i2. It's actually for input. Like recording your guitar etc.. into the PC for audio programs. 
 
I ended up finding a Matrix mini-i used and got it for $220. It's supposedly decent. Shouldn't matter either way, it'll be for movies / tv only.

 

[BobG55]

  I recently purchased a pair of Presonus Sceptre S8 powered speakers.
They sound good, but nowhere near as good as my HD800 (not sure what I was expecting).
 
Since I won't be using them for listening to music anymore, I wanted to use them for my home entertainment setup (TV). 
The problem is, these are balanced speakers, and I don't have a balanced DAC for the entertainment center.
Even though I could connect the speakers using unbalanced cables, they are almost unusable this way. Tons of static. 
 
Good thing is, I power my entire entertainment system off a PC. So I can buy pretty much any DAC I want to use with these speakers.
Problem is, I just got done getting an Audio-GD Master 7, and don't want to spend a ton to make these speakers work.
 
The cheapest balanced DAC I found anywhere was $500. Is there any cheaper alternatives?

In the Source for sale classifieds on this site there are a couple of PS Audio Digital Link III DACs both under $500 (one of them is under $400.)  In that price range this DAC is as good as they come & it's balanced.
 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/773858/quick-sale-ps-audio-digital-link-3

The "or best offer" box next to the asking price is also ticked which means you can probably have it for a bit cheaper.

 

[juliusthecat]

Now shipping Geek Out V2/V2+  $300/$400 offers balanced from TRRS 3.5mm plug
 http://marketplace.lhlabs.com/products/geek-out-v2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier 

 

[juliusthecat]

I've used these RCA plug to XLR cables from a iDSD Nano to JBL LSR305 monitors with decent results. Available for about $20 shipped:
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=4778

 

[obobskivich]

Emotiva has another DAC than Stealth that is balanced and cheaper - its a full rack width component though. Also CIA VDA-2, TEAC UD-H01 and perhaps others (I think all current TEAC dacs are balanced actually) , and many prosumer and pro soundcards offer balanced outputs as well.

 

[genclaymore]

It not the cheapest but I bought a gustard X12 my self and just got it today, I got mine from ebay for $450 and it is the usb version. I can't say any thing about the other's as this the only balanced dac I have used my self. It been working great so far. Massdrop do have a gustard X12 drop going on but it will take time til it over if you wanan wait that long. Amazon also have one that they have in their warehouse if you don't trust ebay.

 

[FFBookman]

pono player is balanced output from an very good DAC with some of the best analog you can find under $1k.  $400 with 64gb on-board and a slot for additional cards, all open standards.
 
does not do digital out or analog in, its just a player.  but for that it does it very well.