[trip20]

[size=10pt]Anyone have any experience, thoughts, or advice about the Music Hall 25.3 DAC? I will primarily be using it to drive Grado 325i phones from a Mac.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I currently own (and LOVE) a Music Hall turntable and have been really impressed with the build quality, and of course the sound. I just do not have any experience with their electronics and my local shop doesn't carry the 25.3.[/size]
 
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
 
 

 

[goodvibes]

It's a VG DAC with a surprising headphone amp.

 

[trip20]

Thanks goodvibes!
 
Anyone know how it might compare to the Centrance DACmini? I think I'm down to those two, unless someone has some other suggestions in that price range. I like that the 25.3 has a tube, and is $200 cheaper then the DACmini, but I've read nother but rave review about the mini? So many choices .......!!
 
 

 

[aphinity]

Quote:

Thanks goodvibes!
 
Anyone know how it might compare to the Centrance DACmini? I think I'm down to those two, unless someone has some other suggestions in that price range. I like that the 25.3 has a tube, and is $200 cheaper then the DACmini, but I've read nother but rave review about the mini? So many choices .......!!
 
 

 
you end up getting the 25.3?  i also have the DacMagic+ and Apogee Duet 2 on my consideration list.  Can't decide.......

 

[bennyhaha812]

I have a Music Hall DAC25.3 hooked up to my pc.  I run it through my Little Dot I+ to Grado RS-1 headphones and love it.  The stock amp in the dac is decent enough in my opinion.  It isn't as good as the Little Dot, but it suits its purpose if you don't have a stand alone headphone amp.  Where I found the unit to shine is through the rca out.  I have replaced the stock tube with a E1CC88/7308 French Mazda and was blown away by the improvement.  Another nice thing about the unit is the available options for tinkering.  You can roll tubes, op amps, and upgrade all sorts of things such as rectifiers, caps, clock, etc if you have the desire.  I never went beyond the tube because the sound was very satisfying.  The Little Dot I+ is a great amp for Grados!  You can roll op amps and tubes in that too.  I have tried a variety of op amps and tubes in mine and settled on an OPA2107 with a Sylvania GB408A pair of tubes.  Great combo with my Grado RS-1.  I haven't owned any other equipment so take my opinions with a grain of salt, I am biased.  In my opinion listening to music with this set-up is auditory bliss.  Clean, accurate, sound.  Wonderful bass, not like a pair of midgets thumping in the trunk, just precise bass.  Loud enough well placed and present.  Highs are not fatiguing.  Then there is the mids!  So liquid.  Is that a proper descriptor?  The music will pull you in and take you somewhere else, it's good fun!  Hope this helps, and again take with a grain of salt.  My opinions, my ears, both very happy.

 

[brunk]

I own the DAC 25.3. I had actually forgotten  about it and it was collecting dust for a while since my purchase of the Burson 160D a while ago, but recently found it and began to run it through its paces to decide if I want to sell it. The amp is not really great at all, it's just ok, it's especially pathetic compared to Burson honestly. Using it as a standalone DAC however is surprisingly good. Even in the stock configuration. As a standalone DAC, it's worth keeping. However, I do prefer the SPDIF with a quality USB/SPDIF converter over the async USB of the 25.3. Detail, musicality and imaging is great, but it's definitely lacking in soundstage and decay to comparable DACs (RCA out). Rock and pop suits this DAC over classical and jazz. Hope that helps
 
edit: The standalone DAC test was done using my 2CH system, not headphones. For what it's worth. IMO, i would expect the same results.