[Dzjudz]

Got a package today from the US, from Computerstud, containing the amazing Apogee Mini-DAC USB

. Great timing too, because I got another package at the same time: from Blue Jeans Cable, containing the digital cables (coax RCA and optical) for use with the Mini-DAC.

Of course, I immediately ripped it open and installed it. My current setup is:

- Laptop -> USB -> Mini-DAC
- Laptop -> Airport Express -> Optical -> Mini-DAC
- Arcam CD73 -> Digital Coax RCA -> Mini-DAC

Out to my stereo (mini -> RCA) and of course to my Corda Cantate (XLR -> RCA) -> HD650.

I love the fact that it has so many inputs and outputs. Finally I can connect all my transports and amps to one DAC, and just switch between inputs and outputs with one flick of a switch or a turn of a knob.

First reports: best sound I've heard so far. Finally I have a worthy setup with all high quality components.

For now, I'm going to listen to it. I will report back with updates, of course comparing the USB feature of the Mini-DAC with the USB DAC in my Cantate. That will be an interesting shoot-out for sure!

Edit 1: Just changed the 1/8" output jumpers from VAR to FIX, so the volume to my stereo is not affected by the volume knob any more. Wow, that was a difficult job. These jumpers are seated even in worse spots than those in my Cantate. One of them is seated right between two trimpots and a jumper for the XLR output. Almost impossible to remove. Finally made it. I'm never opening that thing again

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[warrior05]

Congrats on a great DAC! Love mine as well though USB has been a bit dicey. Seems to be a somewhat common issue. Without warning the MiniDAC will lose the USB signal. Let us know if this happens to you at all. BTW - what are you running? Vista or XP or are you on a Mac?

 

[Jon L]

I always wanted to try a 12V SLA battery with MiniDAC. Plug one in and see how much better it gets!

 

[Dzjudz]

Windows XP SP2.

So far I've noticed that the USB compatibility is better implemented than on my Cantate. The Cantate loses the signal if you power it off, the Mini-DAC doesn't. Also, as some people might've read, I had some trouble with the USB signal distorting heavily after some time of use with my Cantate. I hope this doesn't happen with the Mini-DAC. Also, it instantly recognised my Mini-DAC when I plugged it in, immediately disabling the volume control on my laptop and locking the DAC to my laptop. All seems fine. I'll see if it loses signal at any time. Hope not. I'm very happy with it so far.

Edit: 12V SLA battery? I don't have one?

 

[grawk]

A good power supply is a better choice than a battery. But if you want to use it portably a 9v LiPoly battery from batterygeeks.net would be better than a lead acid tho.

 

[Dzjudz]

Well, I'm not going to use it portably, but thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure whether I believe that a different power supply than the original one will make a lot of difference, if any at all, but then again, I've never used a 'good' power supply or expensive power cable. But that's not at the top of my priority list. Next I think I'll go balanced, since the Mini-DAC allows me to do that. But first and foremost some saving is in order

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[grawk]

With the 650s, it's really easy to give balanced a shot. Have someone reterminate a senn cable to dual xlr-f. The apogee does it quite well.

 

[Michgelsen]

I'm really happy with mine too and it has never lost the USB signal, but I have had some problems with playing a 48000 Hz song after a 44100 Hz song through USB. It used to work and just switch, but now a messagebox pops up everytime, saying "You must restart the application" or something like that. It fails to mention what application it is. I have tried Winamp and Foobar with their ASIO plugins, but the weird behaviour stays. Restarting also doesn't help. It just refuses to play 48 kHz songs, or it plays them slower, at 44.1 kHz.
I use Windows XP with the driver from Apogee. Has anybody seen this?

 

[Michgelsen]

Never mind, I got it to work again. I manually set the sample rate using Kristal, a free audio editor that supports ASIO (which Audacity does not unfortunately) and can also access the control panel of the driver. Now Winamp and Foobar can also change the sample rate again, somehow...