DAC recommendations for ~$500?

[blessingx]

Looking for something for an Audiophile USB or Airport Express>???>HR2 or SR71>HD650+Zu setup. Either new or used is fine. I'd probably like to warm the sound a bit, but I do like detail, and my budget is limited to around $500. Keep glancing over at Audiogon, but completely lost in the world of DACs and would appreciate any help I could get.

Thanks much in advance.

 

[bln]

You could purchase a used Ack Dack (not the new version) for well under $500, it's reputed to sound very nice.

 

[Feanor]

check the scott nixon dac's, there is a tube buffered version also. both under 500$. Reputed to be very good.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/nixon/tubedac.html

both are non-oversampling dacs.

 

[morphie]

find 300 bucks and get a Bel Canto DAC2 - It'll probably blow your mind away with the setup you have ^^

EDIT: eeeeh, but u have 5000 posts here so u probably know that already, my bad ^^

 

[SunByrne]

I thought the Bel Canto DAC2 was $1300, not $300.

The Channel Islands VDA-1 is $350 new, and I seem to recall some threads here a while back with positive things to say. (Actually, I'd love to hear what you thought of this one, blessingx, since I'm kind of thinking about it.)

 

[mulveling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunByrne I thought the Bel Canto DAC2 was $1300, not $300.

He meant to add $300 to the original budget of $500 to enable the purchase of a used one for $800

I dunno, though. I had a DAC2 and it certainly didn't blow me away. I liked my Denon dvd-2910 and NOS-tubed Jolida jd100a just as well and better, respectively - each for less money, though neither is a DAC.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling He meant to add $300 to the original budget of $500 to enable the purchase of a used one for $800

Actually, what he should have said is pick up a used Bel Canto DAC1, or even better, a 1.1 (improved power supply). They routinely sell in the low to mid $500s on Audiogon, and reportedly don't sound all that far off the DAC2.

All the other units that have been suggested so far are winners in my book, at least conceptually, I haven't actually heard any of them. The Ack Dack, however, is said (by the manufacturer) to be very transport sensitive. As you'll read in the link, they voiced the unit for use with CEC transports, which run as high as $16,000.

So, you may not get the best results in the world with a USB or wireless transport, but then you may not be after the best results in the world.

 

[blessingx]

Thanks for all the comments everyone (and morphie don't let my ridiculous 5K posts indicate anything but too much time on my hands - especially for about 6 months there).

I'm assuming a straight digital path from computer to DAC (via likely Audiophile USB) would be up to snuff for using a DAC? I'm just beginning to learn about additional ways to introduce jitter (and how to avoid), but the CEC/$16,000 comment has me a little scared of wasting my money.

The Scott Nixon is especially intriguing. One just showed on Audiogon, but sold right away.

Please keep the comments coming and if there's anything I should avoid or is outside the league of this setup, please let me know. Would like more from a computer setup, but certainly don't want to waste my cash. I'm reaallllly ignorant of much of using a DAC so no comment is unwelcome.

Thanks again.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessingx I'm assuming a straight digital path from computer to DAC (via likely Audiophile USB) would be up to snuff for using a DAC? I'm just beginning to learn about additional ways to introduce jitter (and how to avoid), but the CEC/$16,000 comment has me a little scared of wasting my money.

As you can see from my sig, I use a usb out to DAC setup...only difference is that I've never spent more than $200 for a DAC. I've never seen any actual jitter measurements published for any of the popular USB solutions, I just assume that it's there because it takes a lot of good engineering to effectively combat jitter, and that takes a lot of money and these little usb things are cheap.

I wouldn't worry about jitter too much...at this time its sort of the "final frontier" of digital sound reproduction. Many of the more severe problems have been solved, all that's left is jitter and whatever stuff we haven't discovered yet. I don't know that I can even hear it, but if you're trying to choose between two similarly-priced DACs, and one boasts a modicum of jitter-rejection and the other has none, it might help tip the scales in your decision.

 

[EdipisReks]

the CIAudio VDA-1 is supposed to be very good, and it would be well within your budget. the reviews i have read suggest that it has a slightly warm sound. i am planning on buying one myself, unless i get a very good deal on a bel canto dac1.

 

[SunByrne]

EdipisReks, if you do get the VDA-1 I'd be interested in your impressions of it.