Hi, I'm looking for a portable, i.e., bus- or battery-powered, USB DAC to pair with a Bakoon HPA-01M headphone amp. I need a line-level (mini-jack or RCA) analog output and the device should be no larger than about 20 x 13 x 2 cm (8 x 5 x 1 inches); I have up to €1500 ($1500) to spend. Do you have any recommendations?
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USB DAC pairing for Bakoon HPA-01M
- Thread starter NehPets
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jodgey4
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Aurender FLOW, and higher end DAPs are all I can think of.
Thanks jodgey4. I'm currently using a tablet PC as a transport, so a DAP would be duplicating most of the functionality I already have. I bought the tablet specifically for that task, so I don't want to retire it just yet. I was thinking more in terms of a stand-alone DAC, like Bladelius, HRT, Resonessence or Wyred4Sound offer. I've got a few ideas myself, but I don't want to miss something that might be a killer combo. In the meantime, I'll try to audition something like an AK100/120 to see whether I'm missing out.
jodgey4
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The Aurender Flow isn't a DAP, it's a DAC/amp. It's just portable, unlike most DAC/amp combos.
Thanks. Yes, I'm familiar with the Aurender Flow V1000; it looks a nice piece of kit, with some novel features, but I already have the headphone amp and I don't need the external storage, so it's a bit over spec'ed for my needs. I've heard some other devices that use the same ES9018K2M DAC chip as the Flow, but they cost a lot less, I guess because they forego some of the Flow's extra features. I'd rather spend $1300 on a DAC and know I was getting everything I need and nothing more, than spend the same amount on a device that duplicates a lot of what I already have; of course, I'd sooner spend $600 on a DAC as good, if not better, than the one in the Flow and put the rest towards a trip to Hawaii
jodgey4
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What constitutes portable in your mind? Battery powered, lightweight, (size obviously)...? I should've asked that first, I must've been on Head-Fi too long and misread something XD
Essentially anything that is, or can be, battery powered. For something that takes its power directly from the USB bus of the PC, I'll use a split USB cable with separate power and data lines and connect the power to an external battery pack. The size needs to be no bigger than my tablet PC; roughly 8 x 5 inches and preferably around 1 inch thick, or less: this is only because I already have a carry case and its dimensions are tailored to those of the tablet. As far as weight goes, if it's around a pound, that's fine; that will keep the whole package below 5lbs: I guess you might call it more "transportable" than portable.
jodgey4
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'Fraid I can't help you much more. http://www.cypherlabs.com/products/algorhythm-solo-db/ or DAC/amps are about all I know. Transportable DACs seems to be a smaller market to begin with, much less high-end ones.
Appreciate your input; many thanks.
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