[The Monkey]

Quote:

Yea, I thought it hasn't been released yet?

As for the Parasound 1100 it'll probably be hard to find one, and it'd probably be better to test it out in person to make sure it works since it's like.. what, 10 years old? Unless I'm mistaken. I may be.

I'm liking the obscure suggestions though!

Exactly, I believe it is to be released sometime around 12/1 (if it isn't delayed again).  I don't put much stock in recommendations by people who haven't heard that which they are recommending.  The Parasound 1100/1500/1600 are not that hard to find, but it does take a little time.  But they are built like tanks and most of the people I know who have them have not experienced problems.  The build quality is superior to most of the crap out there now.  But you are right, it's an older piece of equipment and there are risks associated with that.
 
 
EDIT: One other recommendation I have is the Electrocompaniet ECD-1, which is a lovely DAC.  But now you're getting closer to $1k used.

 

[bufo]

you can ignore my post...

 

[jpelg]

Harman Kardon HK3490 receiver.
 
It has both optical & RCA coax digital inputs, and a very nice AKM DAC chip inside. The fact that it is also a speaker amp, FM tuner, & phono stage makes it a terrific value, imo.
 

 

[revolink24]

Quote:

You have read the Audio-GD DOA thread then ? - not sure that I would regard a supposedly burnt-in and tested component that wholly fails to work on arrival as a sign of quality you can trust

 - whereas both my 2007 and 2009 (crappy) Zeros perfrorm flawlessly out of the box - go figure , fwiw the Zeros measure decently as well and have been tested as objectively *better* than a well known FOTM $1k DAC - granted they do have a history of QC issues.
 
 
 

 

 
Nothing in audio is objective.

 

[computerparts]

I'm just basing my opinion from hearing Emotiva cd player and amps. I bet their dac will have that same house sound.

 

[Zida]

I suppose that is a valid suspicion then, computerparts. Either way I wouldn't be buying one until it had been reviewed to death and criticized in every way someone could think to

Monkey, you got me convinced to look into finding a parasound. I'm on it, but I'm still exploring other options. No doubt that ECD-1 is lovely, but if I decided to spend 1k I might just wind up getting that Peachtree that I've already known can astound me, and then sell my existing amp.

jpelg, I have to still look into that receiver. Have you yourself used one?

 

[computerparts]

jpleg brings an excellent suggestion. The Harman Kardon receivers do indeed have very nice dacs, although I had a different receiver (AVR-330). I have spent thousands on dacs and the HK is one of the very few units I have very fond memories of. Plus their power ratings are very under rated. The AVR-330 I had was rated for something silly around 35x7 if memory serves correctly and it had just as much power as a B&K receiver rated at 150x7. I'm not so sure I would recommend the ECD-1. I owned an EMC-1 which was the cd player with the same dac built in and I wasn't much impressed with it. I would hardly call it a best bang for the buck. If you want to spend that much, there's a Levinson 36, Theta Gen Va, and Audio Research Dac-3 mk II for sale on Audiogon, all of which would absolutely smoke the ECD-1 IMO.

 

[digger945]

Adcom GDA-700, Parasound 2000(a bit more, probably ~$600), or my pick of the litter, EAD 1000 or 7000 mkIII.
The EAD's, while a skosh darker than the others, are more 3D/holographic without losing any detail.
I am speaking only of dacs that I have owned.
 
None of these are hard to find, if you're patient and look every day.

 

[Br777]

eastern electric minmax tube/ss dac.. around 650-750
awesome dac for the money. highly recommended.

 

[Zida]

Alright, I'm extremely interested in the Yulong D100 now and will be scouring the FS forum until I find one. Honestly... there's just too many DACs to read about. Thanks everyone for all your help. Hope to catcha all back in the headphone section sometime soon

 

[129207]

Looking for a D100? Join the club! Get in line! 

 
Seriously, it's pretty new so the chance of one appearing in the FS forum is pretty small. And if it does, everyone is on it because of that one positive review here.

Hell, even I am intrigued and want to audition one. The promise of the mid-fi end-all DAC is pretty appealing to me right now. 

 

[Zida]

I guess the competition is on, Sir. I assure you, no one can addict themselves to checking a for sale forum quite like I can. That said, I wish you good luck... over my limp dehydrated decrepit body, aged rapidly spending weeks on end staring... refreshing... hallucinating. Good luck indeed.

 

[Guidostrunk]

I would have to agree with that statement. Not everyone hears the same.
Quote:

 
Nothing in audio is objective.