[wes1099]

I have recently purchased a pair of sennheiser hd 558s, and am getting an amp for them, but I need a DAC because my laptop's integrated sound chip sucks more than drinking lemon juice after getting a paper cut on your tongue. I don't want a DAC amp combo because i want to be able to try different DAC and amp combinations, and I am getting a DIY amp so i can easily try different opamp chips, and the DIY amp will look amazing because it will be housed in an Altoids tin. Anyway, I just wanted to know if you guys had any recommendations.

 

[shadowlord]

hifime diy sabre dac
 
http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=83

 

[Punnisher]

I agree. I have the DAC above and it really does well for the cost.
 
There's also an updated version with asynchronous USB:
http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=123
 
FYI, using a bitperfect output method (or kernel-streaming) is also important. Otherwise, all music you play through Windows will be re-sampled multiple times and finally downsampled to 16/48. I use Foobar2000 with the wasapi plugin. This method is nice because the device is shared, yet playback through Foobar2000 is bitperfect. The difference is clearly audible in resolving recordings.

 

[angelo898]

 
theres this i guess

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/626632/tiny-dac-big-sound-evolved-impression-of-stoner-acoustics-ud100-ud110