[Gopher]

I need a decent cheapie DAC that I can use with a SB Duet I just ordered temporarily. I'm in on the Eastern Electric DAC 001 pre-order, but that will take 2-3 months to come in.

In the meantime I'd like to start with something cheap and used I can get my money back for.

I was wanting to keep it under $200 shipped.

I saw a Zhaolu D1 with Oritek mods for $150 on audiogon, is this still considered a good choice in the price range?

 

[IPodPJ]

Why not just use the analog outputs in the SB Duet? I owned it and while they aren't great they do sound okay. I'm not sure any used $200 DAC you will find will sound much better, unless you find some smokin' deal.

I haven't heard the Zhalou but that sounds like a pretty good deal for it with the mods.

 

[CapQ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why not just use the analog outputs in the SB Duet? I owned it and while they aren't great they do sound okay. I'm not sure any used $200 DAC you will find will sound much better, unless you find some smokin' deal. I haven't heard the Zhalou but that sounds like a pretty good deal for it with the mods.

Agree!

Actually I found the analog output of SBD sound kinda awful. But I cant see a $200 DAC can do any better than that (the digi output of un-modded SBD sucks as well). Besides you ordered another DAC so you dont have to pay more. I suggest that you do some mod both on analog and digital of the SBD.

 

[Gopher]

Yeah, I've heard pretty bad things about the analog outs and my system is very resolving. My First Watt F1 is pretty revealing of BAD sources so I was gonna try and at least have it sounding passable/start getting used to a digital music server's capabilities before my real DAC comes.

I probably should just bought that $575 shipped Benchmark last night! Woulda been an easy re-sell in a couple months.


OK, what if I increase budget to $300 used? I don't expect it to compete with my high end analog rig (or even my Berendsen CDP-1 i.e. GamuT) but want it to be listenable.

 

[CapQ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gopher /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, I've heard pretty bad things about the analog outs and my system is very resolving. My First Watt F1 is pretty revealing of BAD sources so I was gonna try and at least have it sounding passable/start getting used to a digital music server's capabilities before my real DAC comes. I probably should just bought that $575 shipped Benchmark last night! Woulda been an easy re-sell in a couple months. OK, what if I increase budget to $300 used? I don't expect it to compete with my high end analog rig (or even my Berendsen CDP-1 i.e. GamuT) but want it to be listenable.

Bechmark DAC1 for $575 shipped? That's really a nice deal.

 

[Gopher]

I ended up buying an oritek modded Zhaolu D2 for a hundred plus shipping. I'm hoping if a company bothered to mod a $200 DAC it will at least sound better then the analog outputs described above as "kinda awful"

It is disappointing to hear that you believe the digital out of the duet is bad. I've read a lot of accounts of people using it with good success with outboard DACs--especially ones that help reduce jitter (i.e. Benchmarks).

I have no desire to modify the analog section, but will be purchasing a parts express power supply for it (which I've read is a ncie upgrade) and possibly doing the basic digital mods to the Duet down the line. If I get really into it, maybe I'll let Boulder mod the parts express PSU as well in the future. I'm hoping the Ori' D2 and stock Duet with upgraded PSU are listeninable for the time being.

The convenience of having a digital media server would be enough to let my turntable gather some dust for a change.