[U-3C]

Since they already offered the Dacport HD for $149, adding another $99 to the original price will turn this into a deal breaker.

The price for the HD is 199 USD though. :/

 

[U-3C]

So the origen won't sound too different from the dacport? I hear that the dacport has a better dac chip and head amp on paper. The AK4490 chip which is used in higher ends DACs?

Having a different dac wouldn't necessarily make one better or worse. The DACport Slim has a better chip than the original DACport, and some people prefer the original DACport for its lower noise. You might like one sound, but others might like a different tuning.

Personally, I don't really care about the dac part as it makes so little different at this point. The sound is clean and neutral, so others trying to reach the same goal will sound about the same. I would rather care about other aspects that can easily affect the quality/user experience much more, such as different inputs/outputs, driver stability, size, distortion of amp, usb noise/interference isolation, etc.

 

[alota]

Having a different dac wouldn't necessarily make one better or worse. The DACport Slim has a better chip than the original DACport, and some people prefer the original DACport for its lower noise. You might like one sound, and others might like a different tuning.

Personally, I don't really care about the dac part as it makes so little different at this point. The sound is clean and neutral, so others trying to reach the same goal will sound about the same. I would rather care about other aspects that can easily affect the quality/user experience much more, such as different inputs/outputs, driver stability, size, distortion of amp, usb noise/interference isolation, etc.

good point.the dac alone is nothing. which kind of op is installed?

 

[U-3C]

  good point.the dac alone is nothing. which kind of op is installed?

 
No idea. All we get is "

Direct Class-A, no caps in the signal path."​

 

​

 

Seems to be a pretty neutral signal.​

 

[niron]

The price for the HD is 199 USD though. :/

 
It was $149 on their latest campaign at Indiegogo.

 

[MrBenvolent]

Due to the recent talk about the noise floor, CEntrance is considering the option of offering mods like on their higher end models and they are looking for opinions.

The idea is to send the DACport Slim in at 99 USD + shipping, and CEntrance will adjust the hardware to lower the noise. They are also considering adding in features to make the Slim into something like a DACport HD.



Anybody wanna join the discussion over there and give some feedback?

I have done/am doing...
 
Will consider taking them up on the offer - I know you expressed surprised re: noise floor bothering folks, but it does bother me!

 

[MrBenvolent]

Actually, what I really want to do is say "sod it" and buy a Chord Mojo, but I just don't have the green for it at the moment..!

 

[U-3C]

It was $149 on their latest campaign at Indiegogo.

Yep. But that's only for those crowdfunding backers on Indogogo. The time has passed and we must all pay the full price of a late bird... I guess I should have said that it now costs 199 USD.

From a different view, it can be a decent option. Say I got a DACport Slim and I like it, and one day feel like upgrading. Instead of paying full price for a new DACport HD, which is about the price of a Schiit stack, you can pay 99 dollars to upgrade it into a DACport HD. Again, it's better to have this option. If you think they can try something else, or they should simply not offer this and focus their efforts elsewhere, consider telling them. They originally only considered lowering the noise floor for 99 USD plus shipping.

 

[U-3C]

I have done/am doing...

Will consider taking them up on the offer - I know you expressed surprised re: noise floor bothering folks, but it does bother me!

The DACport HD was advised as having a lower noise floor, only people didn't care at first so CEntrance stopped talking about it. For more power, dsd, 384khz and lower noise, the HD was recommended. Only recently people have started talking about it again. I find it quite cool though. Think about the possible upgrade this way: If you are committed, get the HD. If you are not sure and/or are on a budget, get the Slim at half the price. If you are happy, keep it. If you want more in the future or if you were not sure at first about the HD but now decided that you like the device, send it in to get the full experience.

In the end, whether you will upgrade or not, it's nice to at least have an option.

Actually, what I really want to do is say "sod it" and buy a Chord Mojo, but I just don't have the green for it at the moment..!

Haha, so true! Got to listen to the Mojo once and I liked it!

It's just expensive... ;-;

On a side note, I listened to the Dragonfly Red on the same day and I didn't like it. I don't hate it, as nothing was wrong. I just don't like it as it doesn't provide me with anything I want but do not have via the cheaper DACport Slim. No way I'm giving up the Slim volume knob for it, even though it looks and feels so gooooood...and it's expensive... ;-; Better to save up for the Mojo.

 

[MrBenvolent]

The DACport HD was advised as having a lower noise floor, only people didn't care at first so CEntrance stopped talking about it. For more power, dsd, 384khz and lower noise, the HD was recommended. Only recently people have started talking about it again. I find it quite cool though. Think about the possible upgrade this way: If you are committed, get the HD. If you are not sure and/or are on a budget, get the Slim at half the price. If you are happy, keep it. If you want more in the future or if you were not sure at first about the HD but now decided that you like the device, send it in to get the full experience.

In the end, whether you will upgrade or not, it's nice to at least have an option.
Haha, so true! Got to listen to the Mojo once and I liked it!

It's just expensive... ;-;

On a side note, I listened to the Dragonfly Red on the same day and I didn't like it. I don't hate it, as nothing was wrong. I just don't like it as it doesn't provide me with anything I want but do not have via the cheaper DACport Slim. No way I'm giving up the Slim volume knob for it, even though it looks and feels so gooooood...and it's expensive... ;-; Better to save up for the Mojo.

 
Already got the Slim, so will be looking for the upgrade (we have already conversed on Massdrop on the thread - Hi!)
 
Think I am Ok with the extra $99 to get what I want out of the Slim...I think.
 
Good feedback re: Dragonfly as that was the other option for me over upgrading the Slim...and yes, like you I can't get away from not having a real volume control! Saving pennies for the Mojo it is then.

 

[Ngoliath]

I have both the Mojo and the Dragonfly Red and almost always grab the DFR when heading out on a trip. I like the way it sounds and it's form factor much better. The DFR paired with the VE Zen 2 is an amazing combo.

 

[niron]

  I have both the Mojo and the Dragonfly Red and almost always grab the DFR when heading out on a trip. I like the way it sounds and it's form factor much better. The DFR paired with the VE Zen 2 is an amazing combo.

 
And the Dacport Slim?

 

[Ngoliath]

I have that one too. To my ears, it's very clean and almost a bit sterile. For the price, it does what it says it's going to do. I use it at home, but it's not the first portable I grab when I have to jump on a plane. 

 

[iemmustiane]

Any mac users? Is it normal not to have the keyboard volume controls working? Do you guys find this annoying to always use the actual dial on the dacport?

 

[sludgeogre]

  Any mac users? Is it normal not to have the keyboard volume controls working? Do you guys find this annoying to always use the actual dial on the dacport?

Most people on this forum never use the computer volume as that will cause a loss of fidelity by controlling volume in the digital domain. For the best sound quality, you always want your computer volume set at 100% and control volume through the volume pot on your device, which operates in the analog domain.