[Andrew_WOT]

   
Using PWD 2, I taped both ends of usb cable at laptop end and works just fine. SQ is bit better.
 
not all dac uses +5v for handshake.

Same on Yulong DA8 and AURALiC Vega.

 

[TooPoor]

 Just wanted people's quick opinion: I have $1k to spend on a DAC. Pairing it with a La Figaro 339 and HE-500 (see sig for details).
 
Options:
 
Cheap: Emotiva DC-1 - tons of inputs, great reviews, great price ($400 b stock from Emotiva)
Less Cheap: Schiit Gungnir - I have a Music Fidelity 24/192 USB/SPDIF converter so I wouldn't need the USB version unless it's $100 more 'worth it'.
Least Cheap: Matrix X-Sabre/Yulong DA8 - top of the budget. Would highly prefer not to blow my whole budget, but maybe it's worth it?

 

[music_man]

well, they go in the exact order you listed them. the emotive is a great value. the da8 is great quality. the schiit is in the middle. depends how good you want. I would certainly listen to them. you may be satisfied with the emotive or you may demand the da8. or the schiit might be good enough without breaking the bank. you have to listen. for all I know you could love the emotive and hate the da8. this stuff is not that clear cut. ie, more money you just like the sound better.

 

[OJNeg]

You wouldn't be disappointed by the Gungnir, or even the Bifrost if you want to save a little bit.

 

[hans030390]

Bifrost and Gungnir would be good choices. Gamma2 is awesome as well, if you can find one. Matrix Mini-I w/ dual AD1955s may be an alternative to the Emotiva.
 
Do keep in mind the X-Sabre will be fairly dissimilar from the first 3 I mentioned (well, as dissimilar as good DACs get).

 

[TooPoor]

I really do like the Gungnir, but the big question I have now is: If wont be running it balanced (La Figaro isn't balanced), then is it still worth it over the DC-1? Yes, I will most likely go balanced in the future, but not sure when.

 

[kothganesh]

I really do like the Gungnir, but the big question I have now is: If wont be running it balanced (La Figaro isn't balanced), then is it still worth it over the DC-1? Yes, I will most likely go balanced in the future, but not sure when.

Yes,IMO, since you are future-proofing yourself to some extent. The Gungnir is upgradable as well.

 

[dguitarnut]

I had the Emotiva DC1 and was not impressed with it. It did it's job well but I wanted something a little better.
The DA-8 has to my ears has much more detail presentation. I guess it should at twice the price. It's also a more impressive looking piece of gear. I am very happy with it.

 

[eyal1983]

Does anybody have experience with the CIAudio VDA-2 ?  how does it sound ?
http://www.ciaudio.com/products/VDA2
 
...I also wonder- how does it compare to, say , a BiFrost Uber-analog w/ USB-gen-2

 

[shultzee]

  Does anybody have experience with the CIAudio VDA-2 ?  how does it sound ?
http://www.ciaudio.com/products/VDA2
 
...I also wonder- how does it compare to, say , a BiFrost Uber-analog w/ USB-gen-2

The CIAudio doesn't have USB input, compared to USB gen 2 bit frost.

 

[eyal1983]

OK, left the CIAudio VDA-2 option
 
what about the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC ?
anybody heard it ?
http://www.musicalfidelity.com/m1dac/

 

[purrin]

  I really do like the Gungnir, but the big question I have now is: If wont be running it balanced (La Figaro isn't balanced), then is it still worth it over the DC-1? Yes, I will most likely go balanced in the future, but not sure when.

 
The difference between SE and balanced outs on Gungnir is very minor. I thought the balanced outs through the Mjolnir sounded a bit more resolving compared to the SE outs. For someone as picky as me, I didn't find it significant.
 
If you have heard and like the overall presentation of the Gungnir, I wouldn't worry about the resolution aspect until to get to the level of uber amps and headphones.
 
The X-SABRE sounds quite different from the Gungnir. They are almost opposites.
 
The Gungnir remains one of the few DACs below $1K I would personally use. The other being the Bifrost Uber Gen2 and AMB Gamma 2. Gen 2 USB is extremely highly recommended, although your Musical Fidelity may likely perform well. I haven't tried this combo so I cannot say.
 
One of these days I'll grab the Yulong out of morbid curiosity.

 

[TooPoor]

Purrin, thanks for weighing in. I still haven't found anything that has made me want to upgrade from my Beresford MKII. Not sure if you've ever heard it, but at it's price point it seems like a great buy. If I see a B-Stock USB Gungnir on Amazon I'll probably pick one up. I'm worried about grabbing a non-USB version and always wondering if the USB is better implemented by Schiit or through my USB-SPDIF convertor.

 

[diodao]

I think it's important to point out that differences with DACs are so small that downstream gear such as amps and headphones will be a limiting factor. For example, if I used an Objective2 and very laid back sounding headphone like the LCD3, I doubt I would be able to distinguish any of the DACs from the others, especially as we go up the list. I don't doubt at all what Gary hears or doesn't hear.

 

Hi there,
I am still quite a newbie into this whole thing, but nevertheless quite recently I invested some buck into Mjolnir and LCD-3, moving from X-Fi Titatium HD => Fiio E9 => DT990. Titanium HD is still stuck in this stack, because back then, I made a guess that Yggdrasil might be just behind the corner and so I would "wait it out."

 
Now I am wondering what I might have or have not been missing while sitting on my hands. I know that at another place, you mentioned that with Mjolnir amping LCD-3s, source might start to play a role with those otherwise quite "laid-back" cans.

 
So my question is, in your opinion (and of course in anybody else's), should I jump the boat of this waiting game and go for something real (already available on the market), or I am really not missing that terribly much?

Thanks in advance,

 
        Martin


 
P.S. With regards to possible interferences while using USB port as an input for DAC, have any of you tried to tinker around DPC Latency values of your computers? My thinking goes as follows: right now my peak DPC Latency measurement for the computer as a whole is at 617 µs (and peak measurement for USBPORT.SYS is at 160 µs). Using ReClock as audio renderer, duration for sound pre-buffer is set at 110 ms, which should then eclipse interferences with regards to any other peripherals connected via USB port (or in this example, even latency caused by computer as a whole). Should anyone be interested in tinkering with this, there are two softwares to obtain these measurements: DPC Latency Checker (preferable for PC as a whole) and LatencyMon (for measuring latencies with regards to particular drivers).
Of course assumptions on which I based this line of thought might be false, it is just something that (quite suddenly) occurred to me while reading first few pages of this thread.

 

[music_man]

purrin, you know properly designed equipment the balanced vs se is not much of a difference if any. the teac on the other hand it is like night and day. also true with some other cheaper amps. I now don't blame you for dismissing it. that is bs. no real gear does that. modded I love the thing but I can't really recommend it to anyone anymore solely based on one thing. if they have a bigger budget. I had to completely rework the se on it to use with my favorite headamp. if one is going to be using the se stock forget it.