[Skorpitarius]

Hello...

I'm new to this forum/site ...
I began searching / browsing headphone amps on Ebay and was impressed with the specs/etc. of the Yulong Audio DAH/Mark II headphone amp/DAC unit ...
A few others look good too for the similar amount of cash (Zero and StyleAudio Carat/Peridot/Emerald...etc)
PCM1794 and a couple others also ...
I wonder what you folks think is the best overall unit in the $300 or less category ???
I'd be using(for now) Sony headphones and some Altec-Lansing earbud type 'phones until later when I plan on upgrading back to Sennheiser 650 or maybe one of the AKG models (I used to own a paid of Senn.600's-did not have an amp for them and was underwhelmed at the time...)

Anyway - yeah - the Yulong looks pretty solid feature/quality/sound-wise from what I have googled/read and seen referenced to in posts here ... but most of the posts were a couple years old or so ...
There is a "2009 model upgrade" version of the Yulong which they claim improves on the prior version significantly ...
The guy/company selling them has not replied to my questions "ask seller question" on Ebay ... so ... i'm asking all of you experts ... Sorry for the long-winded post ...

Hope to get some feedback .. thanks for your assistance... again, i'm overwhelmed with all the information i'm coming up with thus far ...

I'm hoping to utilize the USB out from P.C. audio thing as I listen to computer audio a LOT ... some mp3 and FLAC type files as well ... I also have a cd transport that I guess I could use via the coaxial connection eh ?
Did I read that the USB will only deliver 16 bit sound ? Never more than that ?
Have to use coaxial connection for 24 bit ?

Please school me ... i'm in the dark , as you can see ... been out of the audiophile world for long time ....

Thanks !

 

[tumbleweed]

I've been in a very similar place. I've been using an RSA predator portable amp/dac for a while now, but I've wanted to step up to a desktop unit that sounds great but doesn't break the bank.

I just ordered a Compass, and I suggest checking out the thread (maybe start with the faq). The feedback here seems very positive-- high design and build quality, and very flexible. A spate of problems (damage in shipping caused by DHL) were handled by the manufacturer equitably, and have apparently now been worked through.

It's about $320 delivered to the States, but the price is slated to go up at the end of the month.

 

[Skorpitarius]

I wonder if you or anyone would go either way if we're talking Yulong Audio DAH1/Mark2 vs. Compass ??!!

Both are same money approx. and seem to be very similar quality and so on ?

Please advise ...
Thanks much ...

 

[Happy Camper]

So get both, test for 30 days and sell the looser. Give us a review (with pics of internals).

Come on, do it for the team.

 

[Skorpitarius]

Yeah that's a good idea and I had planned on selling the Compass after awhile anyway to try other head amps/DAC units ...unless it just blows me away ...
The Yulong has my fancy just the same ... i'll get it next , I guess, maybe they will make more upgrades on it in the meantime ...
The guy selling them on ebay is very good about returning emails/messages which is comforting seeing how far away they are ...
The Kingwa guy and his assistant who seems to speak very good English are really good at the communications too ... no complaints thus far .... i'm shopping for a good but reasonably priced power cable for the thing now ... too many damned choices out there ...a lot of ridiculous perverse greedy prices too ...