[zerodeefex]

interesting heads up on the teac DAC. they do take their high end gear seriously. if the two DACs sound similar, then the gungnir has to be the better deal as it's $100 cheaper. though probably about the same street value, but it just looks so much cooler than the teac in either color. looks might not be the most important part for a piece of gear, but they do matter, especially when you're paying close to $1,000.

let us know how the two DACs compare when you've done more listening to them. if the teac's that good, it deserves recognition too. no giant killing bargain should suffer obscurity. that 1980s retro look with ugly red LEDs isn't my cup of tea at all though.

 

You can get the TEAC for $777 shipped from some dealers. That's how I got mine.

 

[SnookAU]

But you still own a Teac... who also make every other cheap consumer item in the world. Even if it sounded decent that would bug me forever....

 

[Jon Snow]

Quote:

But you still own a Teac... who also make every other cheap consumer item in the world. Even if it sounded decent that would bug me forever....

 
One word...Esoteric.

 

[Jon Snow]

Quote:

interesting heads up on the teac DAC. they do take their high end gear seriously. if the two DACs sound similar, then the gungnir has to be the better deal as it's $100 cheaper. though probably about the same street value, but it just looks so much cooler than the teac in either color. looks might not be the most important part for a piece of gear, but they do matter, especially when you're paying close to $1,000.
 
let us know how the two DACs compare when you've done more listening to them. if the teac's that good, it deserves recognition too. no giant killing bargain should suffer obscurity. that 1980s retro look with ugly red LEDs isn't my cup of tea at all though.
 

 
Actually, I got the same deal on the TEAC as Zerodefex, and with free shipping the TEAC was a little less.  I think the TEAC looks pretty cool, but maybe it's not for everybody.  At this point, I'm not even close to wrapping my head around the sound difference between these two DACs, but they are definitely different sounding - the TEAC having a more laid back and darker presentation.  My apologies, but those are the best adjectives I have at the moment.  I'll try to make a better comparison in time, but for now I will reiterate that these are both very good DACs.  However, personal tastes would probably dictate which would be preferable.
 
Oh yeah, I should mention that I'm not a headphone guy, although I do own a pair of Shure SHR 840s.

 

[budget minded]

Quote:

they are definitely different sounding - the TEAC having a more laid back and darker presentation

 
that sounds like an adequate description of the differences to me, and would make the teac preferable to many who might lean towards the yulong D18 or eastern electric DACs.
 
Quote:

But you still own a Teac... who also make every other cheap consumer item in the world. Even if it sounded decent that would bug me forever....

 
as someone mentioned, teac esoteric is their high end line, and their ceramic driver $20k magnesium driver speakers got a serious rave review in stereophile for world class sound and freedom from distortions. yes, teac makes consumer gear, but they also make studio recording gear where lofi is NEVER an option, and back when they were still making cassette decks, theirs had the absolute best specs, particularly in the wow & flutter category. if you want to use the japanese consumer product analogy, honda makes cheap civics, but also made the NSX which was reviewed as the best balanced supercar in the world plus they at least make engines for formula 1 racing too. if anything, being a giant corporation gives teac a huge advantage in R&D dollars.
 
biases are hard to shake. back when the sonic impact amp was first released, no one wanted to accept that a $15 plastic amplifier could sound "tubelike" or even "high end". i'm having to shake my own bias against NAD after the terrible synergy my receiver had with soft dome tweeters as the general consensus seems to be that their M51 DAC is one of the best in the world. gear is what it is, and not what we label it in our heads, but i still can't get past how ugly the teac DACs are. LOL red LEDs always look cheap and tacky to me reminding me of the 1st generation made in russia giant digital watch i was given in the 70s. i don't like red LEDs one bit.
 
if teac reboxed the DAC in an esoteric line with an appropriate high end looking aluminum enclosure with blue or white LEDs, i might consider it. green LEDs look cheap to me too, but red are the worst. i'd have to tape over them which creates a different kind of ugly.
 

 

[deluxman]

Hey guys,
 
Need some input here. I am thinking of getting the Gungnir but wondering which one is better:
1) Gungnir with USB input
or
2) Gungnir with no usb + Musical Fidelity V-link 192
 
My laptop has no spdif out so only USB but from what I was reading the coax on the Gungnir sounds  better. Do you guys think the Gungnir+V-link 192 combo sounds better or the Gungnir with USB is better? Price wise is about the same. Please advise.
 
Thanks.

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Do you guys think the Gungnir+V-link 192 combo sounds better or the Gungnir with USB is better?

 
I prefer the V192 into the coax input to the USB input.

 

[SourceGuy]

I also prefer the V192 over the Gungir's USB implementation.  I would go with the non-USB version.

 

[grokit]

The USB input can be convenient for guest devices, it's doesn't sound bad or anything.

 

[Raksasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I prefer the V192 into the coax input to the USB input.

 
Can you expand on that please ? What are the improvements ?
 
Cheers,
 
R

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I prefer the V192 into the coax input to the USB input.

 
Can you expand on that please ? What are the improvements ?
 
Cheers,
 
R

 
 
We discussed it a bit, a while back...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/603219/schiit-gungnir-dac/195#post_8735446

 

[Raksasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif  
We discussed it a bit, a while back...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/603219/schiit-gungnir-dac/195#post_8735446

 
Cheers, Grok-san,
 
Musta missed it. Will now try a V192 as da' Gung is my goto DAC and I want it to sound it's best.
 
Cheers,
 
R

 

[olor1n]

Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by grokit /img/forum/go_quote.gif  
We discussed it a bit, a while back...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/603219/schiit-gungnir-dac/195#post_8735446

 
Cheers, Grok-san,
 
Musta missed it. Will now try a V192 as da' Gung is my goto DAC and I want it to sound it's best.
 
Cheers,
 
R

 
Howdy John! I'd suggest foregoing the extra expense of an adapter. Just ditch the Gungnir and go the M51. You won't regret it.

 

[Raksasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olor1n /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Howdy John! I'd suggest foregoing the extra expense of an adapter. Just ditch the Gungnir and go the M51. You won't regret it.

 
Hey Jon,
 
Great to hear you're enjoying the NAD. I'll send you a PM.
 
R

 

[deluxman]

Quote:

 
Howdy John! I'd suggest foregoing the extra expense of an adapter. Just ditch the Gungnir and go the M51. You won't regret it.

Hey Olor1n,
 
How different is the M51 over Gungnir? Is the 3x price warranty the difference? Is the difference very significant?
Thanks.