[jeffreyj900]

I'll start. I have wanted a dac for a while. Figured this would be a good way to get my foot in the door so to speak. I will not use mine on the go except on vacation. I plan to use it with my PC->Zana Duex->HD-650 or RS-1. I have burned a lot of my CDs to Flac. I also have a Mac Book Pro that I will use it with.

I suspect the dac is tiny so I'll need to figure a way to secure it to my rack?

 

[smeggy]

I'm getting mine without case and will probably fix it inside my Beta 22. You can probably fix yours with some sticky tape or blutac

 

[n3rdling]

It's going to be my temporary DAC going to Bedini 25/25 -> Quad ESL 57
After that, I'll probably use it for my Stax setup

 

[GreatDane]

I have the Pico amp/DAC but if not using it with my iPod, I attach it to the back of my laptop screen/lid with Velcro and use a 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect to my Corda Cross-1, then to Aphex 204, then Central Station, then to WA3. That's a lot of stuff!

I like that idea to put it inside the 22.

 

[jeffreyj900]

Smeggy... Post a pic if you end up doing that. That is a cool idea!

 

[GeoD]

Lots of good ideas with the Pico.

+1 on the pics, Smeggy nice idea w/ the B22.

I'll be using my Pico amp/DAC to a RudiStor NX-33 to balanced Denon D2k's with markl mods and wooden cups. Next piece is a Lavry DA-11 to go fully balanced. Love the portability of the Pico amp/DAC for the go.

 

[BobMajor]

This DAC isn't nearly in the same league with the Zana Deux. If that's your main use for the Pico then save your money and go for something much better. I use the Pico for traveling. For home use I use the Empirical Audio Offramp Turbo 2 feeding into a Channel Islands Audio VDA-2 DAC. This is a superb combo but is over $1500. Perhaps the TubeDAC would be a decent choice.

 

[jeffreyj900]

I had someone else ask me about this. To sum up.... Didn't want to spend a lot, like the looks of the Pico dac, read good things about the dac, and I think re-sale will be good "if" I decide to go that route. If I don't then I may re-acquire a hornet

I had intended to get a Bel Canto Dac3, but purchased a Mac Book Pro instead. This will allow me to determine if I want to spend the money on a nice dac. I am very satisfied with my CD player.

 

[atothex]

I didn't realize the VDA-2 was considered far superior to the Pico DAC. BobMajor I assume you've compared the 2? Well, the VDA-2 vs the combo Pico, anyways.

 

[BobMajor]

Actually you can't compare the two directly. The Pico DAC takes it's signal from a computer via USB whereas the CI-Audio VDA-2 only accepts an S/PDIF signal either by coax cable or toslink. To get from a computer to the VDA-2 you need an adapter that converts the signal from USB to S/PDIF. For that I use the Empirical Audio Offramp Turbo 2 which cost $1000 (it's since been replaced with the Offramp Turbo 3). So this is why I said over $1500 versus $500. The VDA-2 is about $600 or so and I also have the upgrade power supply for about $200.
So in terms of cost it's not fair to compare them and in terms of quality there is no comparison, but that may be because of the EA Offramp Turbo.

 

[Icarium]

Eh I had a Pico unit that had the amp bypassed and I'd disagree that the CI-Audio VDA-2 is vastly superior to the Pico DAC. I think this may be more a personal preference thing then a clear cut different tiering....

And I'm familiar with the Offramp and feel it is vastly overpriced for what it does... maybe if it did Async USB... but even then 1k?

 

[smeggy]

it's full of expensive pixie dust. That stuff doesn't grow on trees ya know!

 

[jeffreyj900]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobMajor /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually you can't compare the two directly.

Maybe not on their technical merits, but at the end of the day all that maters is the sound

That I believe you can compare.

 

[slwiser]

My plan is use it as a transportable and have it at work between my Dell Mini9 and my TTVJ Portable Millet Hybrid feeding either my AT-ESW10JPN or Ultrasone Edition 8. I am already using the regular Pico and this setup now.

 

[Brighten]

Zana Deux or ZDT to an RS-1.