[Jo6Pak]

Entech 203.2 for $100. Have a new DV336i on order from Jasmine, perhaps I can use this with that:

I haven't decided how I'm going configure the DV rig, still researching and gathering components for it, but I don't want to spend alot, regardless. The seller said it has about 40 hours on it. Have read many good things about these little Entechs, but never owned one.

<edit>
Turns out $100 is probably a bit much for one of these, but it has the correct wall-wart and looks to be in near-new condition with original box, manual and coax cable. May end up swapping out the Behringer DAC in my Original Master rig with this one.

If anyone has experience with this model, please offer info/advice...

THANKS!

 

[strid3r]

$100 is a decent price for it, especially if its in near-mint condition with a wallwart. There's not much to the unit really, just plug it in and enjoy the music. There's a thread around here that contains some info about modding the unit, but the parts in it are actually pretty decent already. I used to own a modded unit and swapped the opamps and it didn't do a whole lot to it.

 

[jinp6301]

It really is. Remember these used to go for $400 when they were in production. I really love my entech

 

[joe_cool]

I have read in several places where the original MSRP for the 203.2 was $300 and for the 205.2 it was $450.

One nice thing about the Entech DACS is that all the parts are high quality. You can roll the op-amps to tune the sound to personal preferences, but I don't recommend any other modifications.

Another nice thing is that they will decode 24-bit digital data and output 20-bit analog which is probably as good as human hearing (24-bit DACS are great but I can't hear the difference).

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have read in several places where the original MSRP for the 203.2 was $300 and for the 205.2 it was $450. One nice thing about the Entech DACS is that all the parts are high quality. You can roll the op-amps to tune the sound to personal preferences, but I don't recommend any other modifications. Another nice thing is that they will decode 24-bit digital data and output 20-bit analog which is probably as good as human hearing (24-bit DACS are great but I can't hear the difference).

whoops, got that mixed up

thanks!

 

[kramer5150]

They're hard to beat for the $$$, either the 203 or 205. OP amp roll to taste. IMHO they are pretty straight forward / "pure" sounding circuits. By that I mean they sound like the sum of their critical parts... Crystal DACs and the OP amp of your choice (if you mod it with a socket). Ive settled on an OPA2107.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

I think $100 is a very good price for it. The 203 actually measures better than the 205 according to the Stereophile measurements, so if you don't absolutely need the extra connections, you should go for the 203.

Compare the Entech measurement with the $200 HeadRoom Bithead and you'll see immediately why $100 is a crazy good deal for the DAC. I'd say the real value of the Entech should be somewhere around $200 strickly in terms of sound quality, but people have their biases (given the history of this DAC) and I suppose that's not always a bad thing.

 

[Jo6Pak]

Thanks for all the info. Looks like maybe it wasn't such a bad deal after all. The seller is shipping today, from Maine, I'm in Texas, so probably won't get my hands on it til early next week.

On a brighter note, the DarkVoice 336i that Jasmine shipped FOUR days ago from Shanghai, arrived DFW this morning and DHL is supposed to deliver it to me today. Talk about GREAT service - I am amazed. Now all that remains to be seen is if its all in one piece...

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Another nice thing is that they will decode 24-bit digital data and output 20-bit analog which is probably as good as human hearing (24-bit DACS are great but I can't hear the difference).

Exactly what is "20-bit analog" ?????????

 

[Jo6Pak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejarzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Exactly what is "20-bit analog" ?????????

Gotta admit, I was wondering that also...

 

[joe_cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejarzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Exactly what is "20-bit analog" ?????????

Use your imagination.

 

[Jo6Pak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Use your imagination.

OK, 'SCM', perhaps (Sine Code Modulation), in 20 wave bursts...

 

[joe_cool]

OK, how about 20-bit derived analog?

 

[Jo6Pak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK, how about 20-bit derived analog?

Sure, just run it thru a chopper circuit...

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

The 20-bit is for HDCDs.