johan851
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2005
- Posts
- 194
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- 23
Well, I've spent the last couple of days using the search function rather extensively, trying to find a good price/performance DAC to upgrade sound on both of my PC's. I've narrowed it down to the Headroom MicroDAC and the DAC-AH, which both seem to be very good performers.
This DAC will be used primarily (95%) with my desktop, which has optical out through my AV-710. It will also be used with my stereo speakers, which I'm building myself. It probably won't see a lot of headphone usage. Because of this, I'd take a harder look at the 1212m or another high-end sound card, but I don't like the two-card setup of the 1212m, and the whole EMI thing inside the computer steers me away from that as well.
Laptop usage wouldn't really involve the portability/battery power aspect, since I'd be using it plugged in most of the time. I'd only use it when I'm away from home, and then I would be using headphones. Headphones are also a possibility at home when I need to keep things a little quieter than my speakers will allow. An external DAC is just more convenient in this regard, and gives me a little more flexibility.
The DAC-AH is quite a bit cheaper, and I hear terrific things about the MicroDAC (specs look a lot better, too) but this thread in particular is throwing me off:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=139906
The DAC-AH is rated a lot higher in most of those lists, and I definitely like the prospect of saving a bundle of money. More money = more cool stuff, like maybe an amp or some HD580's or something.
So what do you think? Do any comparisons between the DAC-AH and the MicroDAC exist? The MicroDAC looks a whole lot cooler, BTW....
I realize you guys always get these "make a choice for me because I won't do my homework" threads, but I really can't seem to find a good comparison...
This DAC will be used primarily (95%) with my desktop, which has optical out through my AV-710. It will also be used with my stereo speakers, which I'm building myself. It probably won't see a lot of headphone usage. Because of this, I'd take a harder look at the 1212m or another high-end sound card, but I don't like the two-card setup of the 1212m, and the whole EMI thing inside the computer steers me away from that as well.
Laptop usage wouldn't really involve the portability/battery power aspect, since I'd be using it plugged in most of the time. I'd only use it when I'm away from home, and then I would be using headphones. Headphones are also a possibility at home when I need to keep things a little quieter than my speakers will allow. An external DAC is just more convenient in this regard, and gives me a little more flexibility.
The DAC-AH is quite a bit cheaper, and I hear terrific things about the MicroDAC (specs look a lot better, too) but this thread in particular is throwing me off:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=139906
The DAC-AH is rated a lot higher in most of those lists, and I definitely like the prospect of saving a bundle of money. More money = more cool stuff, like maybe an amp or some HD580's or something.
So what do you think? Do any comparisons between the DAC-AH and the MicroDAC exist? The MicroDAC looks a whole lot cooler, BTW....