[johnadams]

  For school.  I use an HP 210 Netbook, and need a small portable DAC ONLY.   I don't need an integrated amp.
 
  I found a great deal on an X-Fi Go! but haven't had a chance to hear it yet as it's en route via UPS.  
 
  I'm looking to stay CHEAP, small and nothing that's bulky.  I consider bulky, bigger than a Pico or RS Shadow.
 
 I definitely need to stay under $100, but prefer it to be as cheap as I can go.  It will only get used between classes, and possibly during studying if I'm at school and not at home, so I don't need anything extravagant, just something better than on-board sound.  Something the size of a flash drive would be ideal, or one of those usb DAC cables that has a chip in the middle would be ideal as space and weight is definitely a factor.
 
Suggestions?
 

 

[TheWuss]

devilsound labs - dac cable, maybe?
 
http://www.devilsound.com/DAC/

 

[jjsoviet]

Isn't DevilSound's cable $399? He needs it to be about $100. I recommend something like Headphonia's USB DAC cable, it's only about $70.

 

[johnadams]

That devilsound one, even if in the pricerange, that cable is just too long, regardless if it were a desktop or laptop.  It defeats the whole purpose of it being small.
 
  How does that headphonia cable stack up to other portable USB DACs???  $70 is reasonable...although I'd like to be cheaper.  I won the X-fi Go on eBay for $4 shipped. So, basically, is that Headphonia cable worth the $66 difference/upgrade?

 

[jjsoviet]

I don't know, I am also on the hunt for cost-effective DAC's. But I believe there's already a review on it somewhere by HeadphoneAddict, lemme get it for you...
 
 
Here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/265223/review-headstage-usb-dac-also-reviewed-meier-headsix-ibasso-d1-and-headstage-lyrix

 

[Gilles De Rais]

Hi John,
 
May I recommend the Nuforce uDac?
 
I'm currently using it with the Baby Stax, being feed from a Vaio P The uDac is also usb powered , so no additional power supply cable needed.. The uDac is slightly wider than the SRM-001 but only one third the length. Combined with a six inch usb cable and a 10 cm rca/3.5mm cable my setup is the smallest, superest sound you'll ever hear! The two sound sigs mate well for most types of music.
 
regards,
 
Giles

 

[johnadams]

I've given that a thought, but I don't want anything with a volume control.  that's the biggest problem is finding a DAC ONLY.  I don't want or need and amp, and I don't want or need a volume control.  Why is it so hard for manufacturers to make JUST a dac only?
 
  I like the Pico DAC, but $400 is a bit much for JUST a dac.  Especially something portable.  I have my home rig if I want reference sound.  I just want something that sounds better than on board audio.  Maybe the X-Fi go! is good enough, I just dunno yet as I haven't received it yet.
 
  I used to have an Echo Audio PCMIA card, and i loved it, but no pcmia slot on this netbook.  So I need a USB DAC.

 

[johnadams]

What about this:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/MUSE-HIFI-USB-S-PDIF-Converter-USB-DAC-DTS-output-/120565510093
 
Anybody know anything about that chipset?

 

[transient orca]

Gamma-1 Lite is a tied and true DIY usb dac that fit your requirement quite neatly.
 
http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1/
 
I don't think it's going to cost much more than uDAC if you ask a professional build to build one for you. Of course it a lot cheaper if you build it yourself.

 

[johnadams]

^ Contacted a couple builders.  Thanks for that bit!
 
  Any other recs?