[evilhippie]

   
I haven't had any problems just using one output or the other, with nothing else plugged in. Sounds like maybe a ground loop issue that's being temporarily solved when you plug in to the other device. 
 
Try taking your DA8 to a different power outlet somewhere else in the house. Try not to have much else plugged in at the same time. Run the DA8 that way and see what happens. I could be wrong, but this has ground loop written all over it. It's either that, or maybe defective RCA cables, or else your DA8 is flawed. 

 
It seems to be an issue with the way the Audio-GD handles the XLR ins and outs.  I plugged the outputs of the DA8 into my Mjolnir, and the SA-31SE sounds normal even with the Mjolnir off and set to and that works fine with the Mjolnir off.  If flip the switch on the Mjolnir to single ended while its connected even if its off, same problem on the SA-31SE.  I had a similar issue with connecting the XLR outs of the NFB-28 to the Mjolnir while simultaneously connecting another amp to ACSS.  It turned out the solution to that was the opposite, ie. to flip the Mjolnir to single ended mode to get ACSS to work properly.  As Kingwa explained to me in that case, the ACSS output could have issues when connected simultaneously with the XLR, which flipping the switch on the back of the Mjolnir seems to solve.  I hope thus makes sense, I'm not a complete expert on the subject, but it seems that on some equipment the XLRs are always active even when the equipment is shut off, and on some the XLR are shut off when not in use, even when connected.  Something similar seems to be happening in this case, so I think in my particular situation I'm better off using either one output or the other connected at one time.  Fortunately its not a ground loop or defective equipment   Oh and I also tried several different RCA and XLR cables for good measure, result is the same.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

ASIO, why, is there supposed to be a sonic difference between the two?

 

[careformeto]

you are right,got the X-Sabre after reading the other review from Project86 and hearing it at a meet.  

 

[Andrew_WOT]

There is another comparison to Hilo
 
Relevant piece

 Originally Posted by grunter72 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Yulong da8 is a great bang for the buck: good headphone amp (even we didn't test it in such way), volume control to use it without preamp (neither we try it in such way), can read every format up to 32/384pcm, dxd, dsd file up to dsd 512, and sounds good.
How does it sound? Its sound is correct, with good tonal balance and correct timbre, much better (for me) than Anedio d2. Da8 is a bit on the dark side, something that remind me of Senn hd650 sound signature, even if I think da8 is more linear.
So how I put it against Hilo?
In brief I think that Hilo (and also Ref7) worth the money they cost. So if you could afford Hilo imho you make a good choice to go with it instead of da8. Yulong da8 lacks the great high frequencies extensione of Hilo (whithout the harshness of Anedio d2), da8 lacks the instruments separation of Hilo and its bigger sound-stage but, overall, da8 sounds good, so if your system is less revealing than Claudio's one you could be happy with da8, even if Hilo is at a higher level than da8.
Globally I was a little disappointed by da8 cause I thought it could be on par with Hilo, but it was not.

 
Quite a departure from previous review of two
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685171/best-under-2k-dacs#post_9883087

 

[DarKen23]

Ultimately, you should allow your ears to make the decision as to which sounds better.

 

[dermott]

Has anyone used the DA8 in a speaker set up as the pre-amp (DA8 as pre & DAC > amp(s) > speakers)? It looks like all I could find speakerwise was a comparison where the setup was DA8 run as DAC only through another pre-amp. I am curious how this unit does in this capacity. Source would be 160 iPod Classic on dock w/ digital out (Arcam drDock) via coax out.

 

[Turn&cough]

  Question to fellow DA8 owners. Is there anything you don't like in particular?
How does it fare against other DACs you owned?
 
To my ears it's definitely better than DAC in Burson Conductor, but nowhere near Auralic Vega or Chord DAC64 (and this one is like 10+ years old design).
It sounds nice, detailed, and quite enjoyable with the good drive, but the second I switch to Auralic stack I realize how digital, closed in, and flat its presentation is, also somehow after a while my ears just get fatigued as if there were some hidden harshness to it, that's using Slow filter, on Sharp it's even worse.
Perhaps my expectations were too high and I should stop bitching comparing it to the DACs from different league, but what else is in there under $2K to try, almost regret selling my Chord now.

 
And sorry for bringing it up, but with all this positive feedback all way throughout the thread, I just can't believe no one had anything negative to say.
 
Of course if project86 could share his quick thoughts on Vega vs DA8 that would be absolutely fabulous.

Exactly.
 
No use comparing it to DACs that cost 2-3X its price. If there's anything out there, in the same price range, that can trounce it I'd like to know about it. I put mine up for sale(mostly for non sound related reasons) but after listening to it again today I'm having second thoughts - especially with all the annoying opportunistic hagglers that have been trying to squeeze me lower and lower.

 

[ULUL]

Sorry for this basic question.
 
How do I install the driver for the DA8 with windows 8 just to play regular sound through the DAC to a headphone? 
 
I downloaded the driver but it was a .rar extension which I never saw before.  
Then downloaded 7-zip software which supposedly opens .rar extensions. 
I now can view and went to the folder that said win7 and 8.  clicked on the 64bit setup but Windows said "can't find any driver designed for your machine"
 
I thought being USB it was just plug and play.  But I can't seem to install the driver even after mutliple tries. 
 
Thanks,
UL

 

[ULUL]

Any help?
 
Thanks,
UL

 

[gadenp]

Hi Guys,
Would like some advise.
 
My Current Setup:
1. PC (Jplay)
2. MusicLink VLink 192 - xmos spdif transport
3. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 DEQ section
4. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 (akm 4393 chip) DAC section (opamp output removed)
5. LighterNote Preamp
6. Class D ICE Linear PSU 500W Power Amp
7. Mini Maggies
 
Issue:
1. Upgrade Bug
2. Really little Bass
3. Want to listen to DSD files
 
Current Situation:
Managed to get the Matrix X-Sabre to audition for 7 days. Just got it tonight and I can tell that is much more detailed then my old DEQ24/96 DAC section.
 
Still using my DEQ24/96 digital EQ section but bypassing the DAC section.
 
Also, my goodness the bass it back I have been so long without really punchy bass, I think I am getting a headache
 
Also trying to get the Yulong DA8 for audtion.
 
Now I need to decide to either:
1. Upgrade my DEQ24/96 DAC section from the AK4393 chip to the AK4396 dac chip (can get someone to help me mod for SGD$100)
2. Get the X-Sabre for SGD $1399
3. Get the Yulong DA8 for SGD $1590 (which I read is really similar but with additional headphone amp for $200 more)
 
Any suggestions?

 

[brunk]

  Hi Guys,
Would like some advise.
 
My Current Setup:
1. PC (Jplay)
2. MusicLink VLink 192 - xmos spdif transport
3. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 DEQ section
4. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 (akm 4393 chip) DAC section (opamp output removed)
5. LighterNote Preamp
6. Class D ICE Linear PSU 500W Power Amp
7. Mini Maggies
 
Issue:
1. Upgrade Bug
2. Really little Bass
3. Want to listen to DSD files
 
 
 
Now I need to decide to either:
1. Upgrade my DEQ24/96 DAC section from the AK4393 chip to the AK4396 dac chip (can get someone to help me mod for SGD$100)
2. Get the X-Sabre for SGD $1399
3. Get the Yulong DA8 for SGD $1590 (which I read is really similar but with additional headphone amp for $200 more)
 
Any suggestions?

If you want preamp and headphone amp functionality, go with the DA8. That would allow you to sell off some of your other gear. If you want just a DAC, go with X-Sabre. I would just sell the Behringer IMO unless you really need for something.

 

[mcullinan]

Hi Guys,
Would like some advise.

My Current Setup:
1. PC (Jplay)
2. MusicLink VLink 192 - xmos spdif transport
3. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 DEQ section
4. Bheringer DEQ 24/96 (akm 4393 chip) DAC section (opamp output removed)
5. LighterNote Preamp
6. Class D ICE Linear PSU 500W Power Amp
7. Mini Maggies

Issue:
1. Upgrade Bug
2. Really little Bass
3. Want to listen to DSD files

Current Situation:
Managed to get the Matrix X-Sabre to audition for 7 days. Just got it tonight and I can tell that is much more detailed then my old DEQ24/96 DAC section.

Still using my DEQ24/96 digital EQ section but bypassing the DAC section.

Also, my goodness the bass it back I have been so long without really punchy bass, I think I am getting a headache

Also trying to get the Yulong DA8 for audtion.

Now I need to decide to either:
1. Upgrade my DEQ24/96 DAC section from the AK4393 chip to the AK4396 dac chip (can get someone to help me mod for SGD$100)
2. Get the X-Sabre for SGD $1399
3. Get the Yulong DA8 for SGD $1590 (which I read is really similar but with additional headphone amp for $200 more)

Any suggestions?

What about a subwoofer. Electrostats def need one. Or 2.

 

[gadenp]

What about a subwoofer. Electrostats def need one. Or 2.

 
I am coming to the same conclusion. 
 
After listening to the X-Sabre that the review says is alot like the Yulong DA8, I am finding that the quality increase is not worth the SGD$1400.
 
I was really hoping that it will be another level and blow me out the water. But it is more like an incremental increase that is good especially at lower end but not the best upgrade path for me currently.

 

[teiki arii]

  Any suggestions?

Hello,
I have got Magnepan 3.7. To manage low frequencies, play with the placement of your maggy...
If you have got a computer, try upsampling your tracks before entering the DAC...

 

[dermott]

  I received my new DA8 from Grant Fidelity!  It actually came in last week but I had been away till today..
It sounds so nice with the V200 and LCD2, midrange is very yummy, and the overall sound is quite warm.  The bass is also excellent, my LCD-2 finally has great bass impact!
The DA8 is definitely a nice step up from my Rega DAC (which made vocals sound too close-mic'ed and had a tad too much upper rolloff) and a major step up from my old Bifrost (which I found a bit thin).  The soundstaging of the DA8 is better than both of those as well.
 

 
 

On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the way the LCD2 sound when driven by your V200), how would you rate the internal amp of the DA8?