[m1abrams]

oh forgot to mention, the gamma1 is NOT an amp and requires an amp.

 

[MrSlim]

There are other ways to do SMD soldering.. Some guys use toaster ovens, and one guy has graduated to using an electric fry pan, with a piece of aluminum plate under the board to spread the heat. He said it worked very well..

What if you go Half DIY, get the 192bit DAC kit that is everywhere on Ebay (the smd one with the separate power board for around $35) and then google "lampizator" This guy has some wild ideas about how to improve DAC's, including a tube output stage..

 

[iareConfusE]

I'm probably going to end up just buying a DAC kit. I'll just try out the SMT soldering. I wasn't too worried about the resistors and caps, as much as I was the DAC chip itself. I was afraid of holding the iron there too long and frying the chip. Also, I forgot to mention it in my first post but I wanted a DAC that was USB powered, for convenience, since I'm all out of spaces in my surge protector strip, and I don't feel like daisy chaining it.

I may just get an alien DAC, or buy parts for a bantam DAC. Anyone know which sounds "better"?

 

[Juaquin]

The Bantam is an "upgrade" to the Alien design, and is generally thought to sound a bit better. And it's fully powered over USB.