[Deimonic]

Hi I’m looking for a good DAC AMP with software EQ. I don’t like Peace EQ so I prefer it if the manufacturer of the DAC AMP also provides quality software to EQ it and manage it.
The EQ should support 10 bands +

It can be a DAC/AMP combo or an all in one. It also needs to be able to take input from my PC.

Looking to spend $200 and under but could stretch if necessary.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I'm guessing your more likely to get your EQ software from a third party, then whatever software comes with a DAC/amp.
An Audio Interface should (guessing) come with good EQ software, but I think your better off buying the best DAC/amp you can, for your budget.
Check out MajorGeeks websites, lots of free software there.
What headphones do you have or are consider buying in the future?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hi I’m looking for a good DAC AMP with software EQ. I don’t like Peace EQ so I prefer it if the manufacturer of the DAC AMP also provides quality software to EQ it and manage it.
The EQ should support 10 bands +

It can be a DAC/AMP combo or an all in one. It also needs to be able to take input from my PC.

Looking to spend $200 and under but could stretch if necessary.

That's a bit of a problem since running software EQ will require having not just a DAC chip but a DSP chip, ie a purpose-built CPU that will run DSP, and then have some kind of interface on it.

And for $200 that's sort of impossible short of getting a used car audio DSP that has become outdated and may not have the inputs you need (ie, outdated), like how most separate DSP units only interface with the source unit via a dedicated system for the manufacturer's own CDPs or music servers, or take only high level inputs to integrate with car audio systems where the receiver unit (in a car that means the disc player and USB, not a DSP-DAC-multichannel amp unit as in HT) getting ripped out of the car has too many headaches and customization requirements let alone losing certain features that may have come with that unit like GPS. Some do take USB, which is why many replace receivers with USB inputs (that don't take FLAC) and CD drives with a tablet (that can handle FLAC and streaming services) with some kind of custom panel, but those DSP units are fairly new and you won't get them for anywhere near $200.

Same problem with HT Pre-Pro units.

Besides if you're already using a PC anyway you might as well get software EQ on the PC itself. Like EQ APO for Windows. You'll get more than 10 bands too. If you use Android or iOS there's Neutron Music Player with a 10-band parametric EQ that can vary Q-factor and curve type (something you can only mimic on car DSPs using analogue controls, ie, instead of applying a flat EQ boost or cut above or below the chosen center freq, you boost the preamp signal to the sub or cut the preamp signal to the tweeters relative to the midrange), but the limitation on Neutron is that it is not a global EQ app and only works on the files it plays.

 

[Racheski]

Hi I’m looking for a good DAC AMP with software EQ. I don’t like Peace EQ so I prefer it if the manufacturer of the DAC AMP also provides quality software to EQ it and manage it.
The EQ should support 10 bands +

It can be a DAC/AMP combo or an all in one. It also needs to be able to take input from my PC.

Looking to spend $200 and under but could stretch if necessary.

The cheapest one that comes to mind is the Monolith Desktop DAC/Amp which is $499.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459

 

[Deimonic]

That's a bit of a problem since running software EQ will require having not just a DAC chip but a DSP chip, ie a purpose-built CPU that will run DSP, and then have some kind of interface on it.

And for $200 that's sort of impossible short of getting a used car audio DSP that has become outdated and may not have the inputs you need (ie, outdated), like how most separate DSP units only interface with the source unit via a dedicated system for the manufacturer's own CDPs or music servers, or take only high level inputs to integrate with car audio systems where the receiver unit (in a car that means the disc player and USB, not a DSP-DAC-multichannel amp unit as in HT) getting ripped out of the car has too many headaches and customization requirements let alone losing certain features that may have come with that unit like GPS. Some do take USB, which is why many replace receivers with USB inputs (that don't take FLAC) and CD drives with a tablet (that can handle FLAC and streaming services) with some kind of custom panel, but those DSP units are fairly new and you won't get them for anywhere near $200.

Same problem with HT Pre-Pro units.

Besides if you're already using a PC anyway you might as well get software EQ on the PC itself. Like EQ APO for Windows. You'll get more than 10 bands too. If you use Android or iOS there's Neutron Music Player with a 10-band parametric EQ that can vary Q-factor and curve type (something you can only mimic on car DSPs using analogue controls, ie, instead of applying a flat EQ boost or cut above or below the chosen center freq, you boost the preamp signal to the sub or cut the preamp signal to the tweeters relative to the midrange), but the limitation on Neutron is that it is not a global EQ app and only works on the files it plays.

I used peace EQ with apo I believe but I couldn’t get it to sound the way I want. Maybe I’ll try again later but what is the cheapest dsp then?

 

[Deimonic]

The cheapest one that comes to mind is the Monolith Desktop DAC/Amp which is $499.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459

Does it come with 10 band EQ?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Does it come with 10 band EQ?

Guess the answer is no.
Check MajorGeeks, lots of free software.
https://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/sortdate/audio_editors.html

 

[Racheski]

Does it come with 10 band EQ?

Nope 5 band.

 

[jmwant]

Hi I’m looking for a good DAC AMP with software EQ. I don’t like Peace EQ so I prefer it if the manufacturer of the DAC AMP also provides quality software to EQ it and manage it.
The EQ should support 10 bands +

It can be a DAC/AMP combo or an all in one. It also needs to be able to take input from my PC.

Looking to spend $200 and under but could stretch if necessary.

You're describing the btr5 and Quedelix 5k. Both are bt dac-amps though. There's also E1Da 9038s and 9038d. These two are usb powered. E1da has an excellent app, I'd suggest to join their discord channel. They're very helpful and responsive as I've seen.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I used peace EQ with apo I believe but I couldn’t get it to sound the way I want. Maybe I’ll try again later but what is the cheapest dsp then?

With 10band EQ? Look around in a car audio forum and try getting a 12V power supply for it.

One tip: make sure it's on fullrange because some of these might be set to full-on DSP mode ie separate crossover+time delay profiles on each tweeter, midrange, midwoofer, and subwoofer outputs. Some might not even have a default fullrange output mode and you basically just have to set the bandpass crossover on the midrange or midwoofer output to basically ultrasonic and subsonic filters...if they even allow for cut offs that high or low on those frequencies.

You'd have to hook them up to an amplifier then get another amplifier though because the cheap ones today were the ones that came out mid-2000s for cars that can't get their receivers ripped out and tablets weren't cheap then. Or find one that has SPDIF input.

Personally it's more trouble than it's worth (I'd do it, but mostly because I'm into car audio and might conceivably have an older outdated processor that I can use at home after upgrading what's in my car) for home use not to mention software EQ running on a fullblown computer has more infinite settings on the center freq (and more depending on the app) by virtue of it being software running on a fullblown computer as opposed to a DSP chip that has to run off a limited UI, like a 1DIN remote that on newer cars will replace the utility pocket (because the receiver isn't a 1DIN unit) or as in with my ///////ALPINE HE660, just hooking up a laptop, tune it parked, drive around, figure out I didn't set the bass to compensate for tyre noise, spend another weekend with the laptop hooked up to tune the bass up, drive it around to test, tune it again...

Or you can just go with the Monolith up there that only has a 5band EQ.

Personally though if you need that many bands of control it's either your headphones/speakers just suck or you don't really like their sound (ie too many peaks to flatten and/or too many dips to fill), or what you need is Q factor control or curve type (ie you're trying to flattena plateau or ridge, or trying to reclaim the sea). I use Neutron on my HD600 and it sounds like an HD650 with just four control bands (although with variable Q and curve types).

 

[Deimonic]

You're describing the btr5 and Quedelix 5k. Both are bt dac-amps though. There's also E1Da 9038s and 9038d. These two are usb powered. E1da has an excellent app, I'd suggest to join their discord channel. They're very helpful and responsive as I've seen.

I own the btr5 but the eq doesn’t work with LDAC and USB mode. I’ll have a look at the Quedelix. Do you own both? How does the sound compare? And how does the sound compare to the 9038s/9038d?

 

[jmwant]

I have the btr5, yeah the eq doesn't work with LDAC. I'm not sure it's the codecs limitation or the devices. Most of the reviews I see, the Quedelix 5k seems to be a better device. Also the E1Da 9038d has considerably less power than 9038s gen 3, but a/bing them I didn't find any audible difference between these two. Maybe that was because of the iem, Blon BL03

 

[shaitan667]

Maybe look at getting a used HiFi Equalizer to use with the dac/amp.

Or something like this

https://www.schiit.com/products/loki-mini-3

 

[silent-circuit]

So far as I know, LDAC always disables EQ; at least this has been the case with every LDAC capable device I've used.

 

[Deimonic]

So far as I know, LDAC always disables EQ; at least this has been the case with every LDAC capable device I've used.

I emailed Qudelix and they confirmed that their EQ works with LDAC and USB.

Maybe look at getting a used HiFi Equalizer to use with the dac/amp.

Or something like this

https://www.schiit.com/products/loki-mini-3

I looked up hifi equaliser and found some with 10 adjustable bands! Thanks, do these connect to a DAC and AMP?