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What's your choice for the best DAC under $1000, give or take a bit?
Whether or not you can observe a thing depends upon the theory you use. It is the theory which decides what can be observed. - Albert Einstein
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I found this article on Google, there are a lot of DACs from $ 100 to $ 1000 and their pros and cons are described.Perhaps it will help in choosing
Right nw I'm contemplating the following DACs for myself:
-Gustard X16
-Soncoz SGD1
-SMSL SU-9
It's hard to decide really... but the Gustard seems to have the more "mature" sound, according to reviews.
actually Gustard A18 could very well be the end-game DAC, I just discovered it and reading reviews ^^
Has anyone compared it to the x16? The x16 measures slightly better, has better sounding op amps AND only uses ONE op amp for the balanced outs (two not as good sounding op amps in series on the A18). The x16 also has discrete buffers on the output adding higher current punch. Because there is just one dual op amp per channel (on the balanced outs...the best sounding output) you could put a adapter there and use discrete op amps. I will be trying this on mine (I am ordering an x16 today). Also you could lower the output impedance to say 10 ohms and drive dynamic headphones really well. You could use an xlr to headphone jack adapter or I might try hardwiring some wire out the back to a dangling headphone jack (or, if there is room on the front mount a headphone jack there). I plan to mod the AC power input as well. However, even stock I bet many will be super happy with an x16. Me, I hafta tweak!
It's $1500, but Gustard X26 Pro DAC is using all discrete output stage with impressive build quality all around. Prelim reviews sound promising..
The thing is, I currently have an ESS based DAC, and I would really like to try what the best AKM chip has to offer.
Regarding the chosen LME op-amp, there is at least one review stating that the combination of warm and soft AKM chip with clear and "cold" LME op-amp is what gives this DAC its more extended, neutral character compared with most of the AKM competition.
In all honesty tho it's really hard to choose but from what I've read the GUSTARD offerings are a cut above the rest.
My FiiO M15 has dual AK4499EQ chipsets and it sound awesome. furthermore, it doesn't require a computer to play digital files. They can be loaded directly into memory and it plays everything up through DSD256 directly from its internal plugin memory. That's what I like about it. It also has both balanced and unbalanced analog outputs.
As I said, the very cool thing about the x16 is that since there is only one dual op amp per channel for IV conversion and no output op amp (except for single ended out) then it can have a discrete circuit put in for very little cost. No one is going to change all the 6 dual op amps in the AKM based machines. In fact, using the x16, you could run single ended off the positive phase of the balanced outs....you really do need the summer circuit. You cannot do this with the AKM 4499. You need two sets of op amps to make it work with single ended or balanced outs.
Another way cool feature of this new ESS chip is that it has a non oversampling mode. So, if you have Roon or other software that oversamples to DSD 512 or DSD 256 then you can turn off the digital filter in the X16 for even better sound. Just read a review yesterday where someone just did this and the resulting sound was really great. One great filter is better than two in series.
When something is so inexpensive, yet great to begin with then doing some mods to it can take it way over the top. Just getting rid of the cheap AC inlet, power switch, and voltage change switch and using a Furutech AC inlet, better AC wire and shortening the AC path would make a huge difference.......I just did this to a $969 Purifi based VTV amp today and WOW....now we are in goosebump territory.
Chinese manufacturers continue to make strong strides in digital to analog converters. The new Gustard X16 is an excellent sounding example for just under $500.
MHDT DACS tube R2R great sound several to choose from
I'm loving mine. This DAC emphasizes detail and transparency over smoothness and "musicality".
See the ASR review below ...
Dmitri Shostakovich
Interesting review of the Topping D70
nt
*chuckle* they seem like a snotty bunch over at that site, lots of whining
seems as if they'd diss anything 'Topping', or already have, who knows
nt
I think I read that 2 people liked the new $500 Gustard x16 better than their $750+ D90 Topping. And this was on ASR......and those people don't believe in sonic differences.....so, if they heard it.....then the Gustard could be killer.
no text!
The Topping D90 looks like a spectacular DAC. Is there a streamer that can be used instead of a computer to send digital music files to the DAC. I just don't like to use my computer. I don't necessarily need to stream digital from a streaming website, but I want to stream my own digital files from a hard drive. Currently, I'm using the FiiO M15 DSD player, which also has AK4499EQ DAC chips and sounds absolutely superb. The best thing is I can load my digital music files onto a 1-TB micro SD memory card and plug it into the FiiO M15, which will play all digital formats up through DSD256 directly from the micro SD card. The M15 has a one-megapixel touch screen display that makes it easy to find my music. I like this so much better than using JRiver on my computer.
Anyway, I've got a feeling that the Topping D90 probably sounds as good as my FiiO M15. If it only had a USB type A port for plugging in a USB flash drive containing my digital music files, it would be perfect. I also own a Mytek Brooklyn Bridge, which has a USB port for playing digital files directly from a flash drive, but it won't play DSD from the USB drive -- only PCM up through 24/192. Bummer!
The FiiO M15 does it all!
Happy listening!
John Elison
Yes, I use a Raspberry Pi to plug into my D90.... The Rpi does allow you to plug in a USB Drive, as it has 4 USB ports. I use this for Traveling. At home I stream from my Music Library on my NAS.There is no Full Blown Computer in any of my Audio Setups. The Raspberry Pi does it All, and More!
Here is a Picture of my Traveling Rpi with built in DAC, with my 2TB Music Library attached to a USB Port on the Rpi.
Edits: 03/11/21 03/11/21 03/11/21
I think this DAC would be a good match for some tube amplification somewhere in the audio chain. It IS very transparent and detailed. I love it! But I think my old PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC is a little better, or at least a little smoother. They're both excellent DACs.
For $129 you can get about 95% of the D90 just to give it a try. I've been wanting to try the D90 myself but don't think I need to spend the extra for it.
Project Pre Box S2 is outstanding value for money
Edits: 03/09/21 03/09/21
I don't know if it's the best DAC because I haven't listened to all the DACs in the world, but I presently own three DACs and I like them all. I own a $3000 Mytek Brooklyn Bridge, a $1300 FiiO M15 and a $650 FiiO M11 Pro. I have a friend who owns a Bryston BDA-3, which sells for around $3000 or slightly more. If I had to choose just one out of those four to live with the rest of my life, I'd choose the $1300 FiiO M15 first, and the FiiO M11 Pro second. I like those two best relative to the four I've listed.
Good luck!
John Elison
I really enjoy my Schiit Bifrost 2 ($700 new). It is a true multibit DAC, not a delta-sigma.
But, as already noted, there are a lot of excellent sounding DACs in this price range. Another one that gets lots of very positive comments is the Topping D90 ($750).
+1 on the Schiit Bifrost 2. Over the years I have been through many digital fronts and DAC's, I certainly haven't tried them all though so I can't comment on all even that have been suggested. I will say to me the biggest compliment I can give the Schiit DAC's is that they are the most like my analog front end. I am older and grew up on analog and digital has always been the thing that never sounded quite right to me, but the Schiit DAC's have taken me the closest.
+2- the Bifrost2 is a wonderful sounding unit - revealing yet not too edgy.
Unlike most Schiit products, it comes with a remote although it does not have power on/off.
This youtube video describes some of the popular DACs mentioned.
I have a maxed out Bifrost 1. Great not digital sounding DAC like the Scott Nixon DAC it replaced.
Gsquared
I'm sure you're about to get a boatload of suggestions, but I'd certainly consider the Denafrips Ares II a contender.(around $750 + or -) I've had the original Ares for a couple years and have really enjoyed it. So I'm somewhat "assuming" the II is at least as good.
RME ADI2 FS
The Well Tempered Computer
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