[gvl2016]

The 0.5V drop may happen sooner than you think, so the internal batteries won't get a chance to fully recharge. Also on mine it automatically turns on whenever an external power or USB is connected, the power button only turns the device on/off when running on internal battery.

 

[gvl2016]

One more option to add an external PSU while using USB is iFi iDefender which may bring some additional benefits as well.

 

[richard51]

One more option to add an external PSU while using USB is iFi iDefender which may bring some additional benefits as well.

I have one, 12 volt 1.5 A. i will try it.... Thanks for your informative answer....

 

[gvl2016]

I have one, 12 volt 1.5 A. i will try it.... Thanks for your informative answer....

Wait, iDefender doesn't have a power supply, but you can connect a 5V PSU via mini-USB and it will use that to power the DAC instead of the USB bus. Or was this in response to an earlier post?

 

[richard51]

Wait, iDefender doesn't have a power supply, but you can connect a 5V PSU via mini-USB and it will use that to power the DAC instead of the USB bus. Or was this in response to an earlier post?

I already have another isolator that is usb powered... Hifimedyi one...after that i will connect it to a hifimedyi optical dac-convertor usb powered also , and from that to an optical cable to the battery dac, that will be powered by a lithium 12 volt battery or a psu of 12 volt...I will test the 2 solutions for the better one...psu or lithium battery...

 

[gvl2016]

I already have another isolator that is usb powered... Hifimedyi one...

I don't believe Hifimedyi isolators can work with an external supply so you're still limted to what USB port on your computer can supply, and it turns out it may not be enough per an earlier post. The iDefender has a micro-usb connector to which you can connect an external PSU to fully substitute USB power plus it breaks ground loops which can be useful in some situations.

 

[richard51]

Idefender seems a promising solution.... But i already have the hifimediy isolator+convertor, hence i will try that with the lithium battery or the external Psu....

 

[Jimster480]

The Schiit USB -> Coax is super expensive!
I'm thinking of converting to using Coax with a ASUS Xonar instead.

 

[gvl2016]

If you consider with it you no longer need isolators, purifiers, and other USB gizmos plus you get a good USB asynchronous interface it is not all that bad.

 

[earwego]

One more option to add an external PSU while using USB is iFi iDefender which may bring some additional benefits as well.

Looked into this, £45 for the iDefender then an addition sum for the quiet power supply needed to power the iDefender which will in turn power the DAC-3. Nice idea though, as a small package from the options already mentioned I would prefer it to the Schiit Wyrd for example - and it's also a better idea than a high end USB hub too. So well found nevertheless.

I could even consider the iDefender without the quiet power supply in the way I am using it now to the USB to SPDIF converter - hoping that the isolation benefits from the iDefender will help reduce noise upwards to the SPDIF converter.

So - anyway - to repeat myself - nice find - and a small tidy package too (in comparison the Schiit Wyrd would need another USB lead).

 

[gvl2016]

I don't know if it's better than the Wyrd but it can in theory solve issues that the Wyrd cannot. However I used one briefly and it couldn't quite cure a ground loop issue I had. Still an option to consider.

 

[rikk009]

The DAC has zero noise...the blackest black background I have heard.

 

[earwego]

The DAC has zero noise...the blackest black background I have heard.

Good to hear (or not hear) - is this (in your opinion) zero noise with a power supply linked to the DAC 3 also? Because the audio circuits are still being fed (buffered) by the batteries despite being charged by the power supply, but it would be good to know in that configuration if you still have your blackest background. I'm quite impressed by this little DAC - it's taken a while to me to work out how to best use it and understand it (this forum and the designer has helped considerably), but it's worth the effort.

 

[rikk009]

Good to hear (or not hear) - is this (in your opinion) zero noise with a power supply linked to the DAC 3 also? Because the audio circuits are still being fed (buffered) by the batteries despite being charged by the power supply, but it would be good to know in that configuration if you still have your blackest background. I'm quite impressed by this little DAC - it's taken a while to me to work out how to best use it and understand it (this forum and the designer has helped considerably), but it's worth the effort.

Yes. I used a power supply from Sennheiser which was made for their wireless audio system, so didn't expect noise from power supply.

Paired with a high energy(treble) amp this DAC really shines.

 

[earwego]

Yes. I used a power supply from Sennheiser which was made for their wireless audio system, so didn't expect noise from power supply.

Paired with a high energy(treble) amp this DAC really shines.

Or perhaps use an amp with tone controls and turn up the treble? Now that would be a novel idea.

It would be better if the DAC sounded good with an amp capable of extended treble in a neutral way - otherwise it makes the DAC 3 sound like it smooths over the treble region too much.

Generally speaking I use loudspeakers and not headphones; however I tend to find responses here more interesting and perhaps more accurate because good headphones are more revealing of source than loudspeakers are which tend to have to deal with differing room acoustics and positioning issues to contend with.