[CanadianMaestro]

  I'm looking for a Dac/Amp setup to upgrade from my onboard. I listen to EDM music and primarily use Etymotic IEMs, Beyer DT 770 pro 80ohm, and soon to be TH-X00.
 
My research has led me to these options:
 
1.) Schiit Uber stack ~$300
2.) Grace m9xx ~$500
3.) Polaris + Dac(what dac u guys recommend?) ~$280 + dac
 
Which setup gives me the best value?
This will be a desktop setup so I don't think i need the portability with the m9xx.
Did anyone do the DIY polaris kit? seems like a fun project but the 5year warranty on the pre-built is appealing.
I'm really leaning towards the polaris because i love the bandwidth options for taming my beyers. So any recommended DACs to use with it?
 
The limit for my Amp/Dac budget is $500
Should i allocate more for the amp than dac? or vice versa? Am i thinking in the right direction getting a Polaris ~280 + ~200 dac? Is that good budget allocation?

 
imo, Polaris + DAC is very good value. Have never used it with IEMs, but I suspect it should be OK. As for a DAC, I've used a TEAC UD-H01 in the past; it can be bought on the resale market for about $150 YMMV. Haven't heard any of the Schiit DACs, but their are threads here on HF that will help you.
 
http://www.teac.com/product/ud-h01/overview/

 

[vapman]

Like i've said many times there are tons of dacs based on the AK4396 and I own a DAC which is 11 years old and uses this chip. still sounds great. in fact it is my preferred DAC with the polaris. never tried anything far out of its price range yet, but it sounds real nice and is cheap. schitt uses it even.

 

[bixby]

  I'm looking for a Dac/Amp setup to upgrade from my onboard. I listen to EDM music and primarily use Etymotic IEMs, Beyer DT 770 pro 80ohm, and soon to be TH-X00.
 
My research has led me to these options:
 
1.) Schiit Uber stack ~$300
2.) Grace m9xx ~$500
3.) Polaris + Dac(what dac u guys recommend?) ~$280 + dac
 
Which setup gives me the best value?
This will be a desktop setup so I don't think i need the portability with the m9xx.
Did anyone do the DIY polaris kit? seems like a fun project but the 5year warranty on the pre-built is appealing.
I'm really leaning towards the polaris because i love the bandwidth options for taming my beyers. So any recommended DACs to use with it?
 
The limit for my Amp/Dac budget is $500
Should i allocate more for the amp than dac? or vice versa? Am i thinking in the right direction getting a Polaris ~280 + ~200 dac? Is that good budget allocation?

I feel given your budget that #3 is the best option, not only for sound, but value.
 
The Polaris is an order of magnitude above the Schiit amp, for example.  Have not heard the grace.  And having gone down the budget dac and amp route, I feel the amp is most important of the two to overall sound.
 
For dacs in the under $300 range, there are not many that are killer values like the Polaris.  If I were you I would either save up another $100 and get the Schiit 4490 bifrost or wait until one comes used or something else pops up around $300.  In the meantime, I would put something like a lower cost usb stick dac for now.  I might even take a gamble on a hifimediy sabre based one.
 
Good luck with your quest and let us know what you decide and how it sounds.
 
Other than that a used HRT Musicstreamer II+ is not a bad choice.  

 

[milosingh]

Get the Polaris and an ODAC.

Nothing is audibly more transparent than the ODAC. No need to spend more.

 

[bixby]

Get the Polaris and an ODAC.

Nothing is audibly more transparent than the ODAC. No need to spend more.

hahahaha  

 

[CobraTaco]

Milo if that were true why would there be a massive market for DACs more than 200$?
I'm pretty new to this stuff but objectively that just doesn't make sense

 

[vapman]

  Milo if that were true why would there be a massive market for DACs more than 200$?
I'm pretty new to this stuff but objectively that just doesn't make sense

some people claim to be "DAC-deaf", some people it makes a lot of difference.
 
for me i only need to spend $100 to get a DAC where I can't hear any improvement until say the $600 mark - i used to have my bar set at about double that but with the introduction of the Chord Mojo the "next step up" is more affordable
 
even then i think i am kind of "dac deaf", the exception being if it really sucks (built in laptop/motherboard vs. a halfway decent usb dac)

 

[CobraTaco]

Well thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to pick up a Polaris for sure then. I actually love the look of the caps and resistors under the acrylic (from the pics I've seen).
Although, looks like I still have some research to do DAC-wise 

 

[bixby]

  Well thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to pick up a Polaris for sure then. I actually love the look of the caps and resistors under the acrylic (from the pics I've seen).
Although, looks like I still have some research to do DAC-wise 

Here is a tip, if you plan ot use your iems and they are say 98db/mw efficient or more, order an extra higher input attenuation attenuator.  This is designed to work with uber efficient iems and only costs several $ extra.  With the normal one, you will never get the volume past 9 o'clock otherwise.  With the iem attenuator installed you can get up to 12 o'clock with a 98 db/mw can.  Only problem is if you switch from cans a lot to the iems, you have to remove the top to swap the attenuator.
 
 
Good luck.

 

[senorx12562]

Well thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to pick up a Polaris for sure then. I actually love the look of the caps and resistors under the acrylic (from the pics I've seen).
Although, looks like I still have some research to do DAC-wise 

I'm currently using the Emotiva Big Ego in my desktop setup, and really enjoying the sound. It was on sale for $179 when I got it, and it's a deal. Might be back to 219 now though. Having used it, I'd pay that too.

 

[mandrake50]

  Milo if that were true why would there be a massive market for DACs more than 200$?
I'm pretty new to this stuff but objectively that just doesn't make sense

None of this stuff is all that objective though. No one will be impressed when you tell them you have a $200 ODAC...
However, for the price the ODAC does a decent job. Especially as a starting (or maybe ending) point.
I have accumulated a bunch of gear, but for  use at work or travelling the ODAC is just fine. I am using the ODAC and Polaris as I write this.
An ODAC and O2  were what I used for a good while before my obsessive compulsive behavior set in and forced me to start reading Headfi threads... again.
 
In any case, it pretty much fits into the OP budget and would be worth a look.  It doesn't lock him in to that configuration forever...
 
I am always curious about how it happens that people will say that they have a budget for gear of X and it never fails that people tell them to spend X+100 or 200 or...
 
off soapbox now..

 

[TSD13]

  for me i only need to spend $100 to get a DAC where I can't hear any improvement until say the $600 mark - i used to have my bar set at about double that but with the introduction of the Chord Mojo the "next step up" is more affordable

 
Just curious, what's the reason for the Mojo vs Bifrost MB? 

 

[CobraTaco]

Well i took the plunge boys.
 
-Acrylic Polaris with purple UV light (hoping it looks good on the acrylic)
-Schiit Modi 2 Uber 
 
I went with the schiit because I got it in B-stock for $145 shipped which seems like a good deal. And I read somewhere it's comparable to a "mini bifrost".
So hopefully I'll remember to come post my impressions before I ascend into audio heaven 

 

 

[iamxLn]

  Well i took the plunge boys.
 
-Acrylic Polaris with purple UV light (hoping it looks good on the acrylic)
-Schiit Modi 2 Uber 
 
I went with the schiit because I got it in B-stock for $145 shipped which seems like a good deal. And I read somewhere it's comparable to a "mini bifrost".
So hopefully I'll remember to come post my impressions before I ascend into audio heaven 

 

post some pictures! that's the set up i'm going for too. 

 

[CobraTaco]

I ordered them both earlier this afternoon so with any luck hopefully I get them both by next week.
Wait pics? Does that mean I have to clean my desk