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Author Topic: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?  (Read 8684 times)

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Offline rustoleum

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200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« on: June 17, 2005, 09:02:11 AM »
Hi All,

I'm in the market for a digital to analog convertor.  I'm pretty content with the way my DVD player makes 24 and 16bit recordings sound through my stereo, so I don't believe I need too spend to much money in order to get a signficant improvement out of the playback of Flacs and SHNs on a computer through the same stereo.  The only thing I know is it currently sounds like crap performing the D to A inside the computer.  I've got a Zoltrix Nightingale to get the bits out of the system, and since that has both optical and coax outs I'm pretty flexible about the inputs the DAC has.   Additionally, as I'm pretty content with the DVD player I don't need multiple inputs, although if it does have them, I'd certainly try plugging the DVD player in and see which I like better.  Multiple ins are a bonus, not a requirement.  Any ideas in the 2-3 hundred dollar range?  I could go a little higher, but if I'm going to spend 4-5 hundred, I might as well just go a higher than that and buy a used MiniDAC on ebay.  Thanks

Rusty

Offline rustoleum

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2005, 09:03:01 AM »
oh yeah... one more thing.  24 bit/48KHZ is required, but higher sample rates are not necessary, as the zoltrix won't pass higher than 48 anyway.  Thanks

Offline Daryan

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2005, 09:25:29 AM »
Bolden SmartDio used on the gon.  Not one up there now, but keep looking, it should pop up.
Microtech Gefell 200/210->Zaolla Silverlines->Fostex FR-2 (oade modified plus other self mods)

Playback: Bolder modified Squeezebox SB3 (building linear power supply)->Bolder Cable Modified Panasonic XR-45 with bybee's->Bolder Nitro speaker cables->VMPS Audio super modified 626r's, VMPS Larger SUB, 1000w class AB sub amp
Tweaks: isolation and room treatments, silclear, BPT 1.5r Power Conditioner (modified), isoblocks, vibrapods, many others

Offline Brian Skalinder

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2005, 09:51:52 AM »
Bolden SmartDio used on the gon. Not one up there now, but keep looking, it should pop up.

I'll second Bolder Cable Company's smART D/IO.  I use it for my PC / headphone setup:  Waveterminal 2496 > smART D/IO > AKG K501s.  Made a HUGE difference to my ears v. coming analog out of the WT2496, and resulted in a very distinct improvement over my cheapo CD/DVD player's DAC in my main system.  I moved it from my main playback system to my PC / headphone setup after picking up a Bel Canto DAC 1.1.  More info at Bolder's MOD page.  I believe the listed price only includes the mod and does not include purchase of the stock unit.  Keep an eye on Audiogon, they pop up every so often.
Milab VM-44 Links > Fostex FR-2LE or
Naiant IPA (tinybox format) >
Roland R-05

Offline macdaddy

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2005, 10:35:39 AM »
fyi the stock art dio is NOT made anymore (bolder does the mods), so you will have to be going the ebay/agon route...



-macdaddy ++

akg c422 > s42 > lunatec v2 > ad2k+ > roland r-44

Offline Daryan

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2005, 10:49:49 AM »
I heard that fullcompass was trying to convince art to make one more run.  Whether that will happen or not was up in the air.  The ebay route is usually the best.  If you are handy with a soldering iron, I can dig up the mods that you can do yourself if you are into that kind of thing.  There is a seller on audiocircle.com, Danny Ritchie of GRresearch that has a "semi-mensa," the step up from the smart mod, for 250 shipped.  his e-mail I believe is danny@grresearch.com, or PM him on the audiocircle.
Microtech Gefell 200/210->Zaolla Silverlines->Fostex FR-2 (oade modified plus other self mods)

Playback: Bolder modified Squeezebox SB3 (building linear power supply)->Bolder Cable Modified Panasonic XR-45 with bybee's->Bolder Nitro speaker cables->VMPS Audio super modified 626r's, VMPS Larger SUB, 1000w class AB sub amp
Tweaks: isolation and room treatments, silclear, BPT 1.5r Power Conditioner (modified), isoblocks, vibrapods, many others

Offline rustoleum

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2005, 10:59:54 AM »
Thanks all... Ts all around.  Just checked ebay and audiogon and didn't see any, but I'll certainly be on the lookout. 

EDIT: just reread the post about audiocircle.com                    Heading there next... thanks!


« Last Edit: June 17, 2005, 11:03:07 AM by rustoleum »

Offline rustoleum

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2005, 11:31:07 AM »
So it looks like I was searching incorrectly and managed to a stock find one... what sonically is the difference between a modded one and unmodded?  Thanks

Offline Daryan

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2005, 12:06:37 PM »
Stock model has an extremely noisy power supply, and poor choices for capacitors.  I would get the modded one if it was my coin. 

You will definately hear the differnce...kind of like cable burn-in :P
Microtech Gefell 200/210->Zaolla Silverlines->Fostex FR-2 (oade modified plus other self mods)

Playback: Bolder modified Squeezebox SB3 (building linear power supply)->Bolder Cable Modified Panasonic XR-45 with bybee's->Bolder Nitro speaker cables->VMPS Audio super modified 626r's, VMPS Larger SUB, 1000w class AB sub amp
Tweaks: isolation and room treatments, silclear, BPT 1.5r Power Conditioner (modified), isoblocks, vibrapods, many others

Offline Daryan

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Microtech Gefell 200/210->Zaolla Silverlines->Fostex FR-2 (oade modified plus other self mods)

Playback: Bolder modified Squeezebox SB3 (building linear power supply)->Bolder Cable Modified Panasonic XR-45 with bybee's->Bolder Nitro speaker cables->VMPS Audio super modified 626r's, VMPS Larger SUB, 1000w class AB sub amp
Tweaks: isolation and room treatments, silclear, BPT 1.5r Power Conditioner (modified), isoblocks, vibrapods, many others

Offline macdaddy

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2005, 01:38:15 PM »
So it looks like I was searching incorrectly and managed to a stock find one... what sonically is the difference between a modded one and unmodded?  Thanks

alot.

but buy it stock (i thought fullcompass was selling them stck for a buck fifty, but i could be wrong)...

if i were you, and you are interested in the sh*t, buy the stock if you can find it for a bill and a half, and listen for a while. contact wayne (bolder cables), and talk to him about the $$$ you can spend. nickspicks and some others (in this thread, too)  spoke highly of the smart mod, and that wouldnt set you back too much...

and then listen and enjoy, and if you think you want to try get more performance after a while - send it back to wayne, and he will upgrade it to the mensa+

this way your initial outlay is doable, and it gets you in the game (which is big if there are no more stock units to be had), and your upgrades, which will be noticeable, and worth the money, can come later, when you feel you can spend the money...

leaving yourself room for upgrades, being totally frugal, and getting into the DAC game... good entry move, but that is kind of why i went that way, too :P
-macdaddy ++

akg c422 > s42 > lunatec v2 > ad2k+ > roland r-44

Offline rustoleum

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2005, 03:39:49 PM »
good call, macdaddy... the Bolder page says Full Compass has them new for around 125 and I can definately send it in at a later date for the mods... thanks

Offline rustoleum

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2005, 09:36:06 AM »
I heard that fullcompass was trying to convince art to make one more run.  Whether that will happen or not was up in the air.  The ebay route is usually the best.  If you are handy with a soldering iron, I can dig up the mods that you can do yourself if you are into that kind of thing.  There is a seller on audiocircle.com, Danny Ritchie of GRresearch that has a "semi-mensa," the step up from the smart mod, for 250 shipped.  his e-mail I believe is danny@grresearch.com, or PM him on the audiocircle.

Danny has made it very clear that this is not true. Price is 400 which is still probably a good deal, just not quite the deal I'm looking for. Thanks for the info, though.  I'll probably get a new stock one and mod it later.

Offline macdaddy

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2005, 09:50:06 AM »

I'll probably get a new stock one and mod it later.


good call, esp. if you can get a stock unit for a buck twenty-five...

here is the page for the "smart" upgrade. the mensa is even more involved, but you can upgrade from the smart to the mensa later on if you want, too...


$125 + $260 = $385

so for $100 over-budget (including shipping), you can get a very nice unit, and for $75 under budget you cant get in the game, and have a solid unit that will at least serve as a baseline...

well done.

-macdaddy ++

akg c422 > s42 > lunatec v2 > ad2k+ > roland r-44

BobW

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Re: 200-300 dollar DAC recommendation?
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2005, 01:37:32 PM »
Channel Islands Audio ?
Never heard it, but heard the stories, very nice press
No longer sold in US, btw

 

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