best recomendation for an affordable DAC?

[Jimna]

my wife is asking christmas questions.....

[Jimna]

or even all in one dac>amp options.  im looking to get a 24bit play back going here...


god save santa clause.

[RebelRebel]

MYTEK! A real giant killer. I auditioned quite a few before going with the Stereo 96. Mr. Skalinder, Matt D, and quite a few others have discovered how good they are.
I shot ya apm..

[Jimna]

ok, long live the tax return!

[Nick's Picks]

thats a GREAT dac..., from what people say.  I'm going to try one out myself.
but..

for much less money, find a used Music Hall MAMBO integrated amp.
two digital inputs, 24/96 burr-brown DACs.  50wpc of class A SS power, and its meaty.

while I just looked, I found a Maven, which is the "big brother" version of the same amp.
and, its STUPID CHEAP !!!
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1196958746
i'd buy this and then say "look what you got me for xmas" !!!
then have her buy you a $20 chainteck sound card so you can stream from your PC at 24bit
or, a SqueezeBox.

[JackoRoses]

benchmark dac1 for around 800 used give or take.

[muj]

promitheus dac?

[Sanjay]

thats a GREAT dac..., from what people say.  I'm going to try one out myself.
but..

for much less money, find a used Music Hall MAMBO integrated amp.
two digital inputs, 24/96 burr-brown DACs.  50wpc of class A SS power, and its meaty.

while I just looked, I found a Maven, which is the "big brother" version of the same amp.
and, its STUPID CHEAP !!!
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1196958746
i'd buy this and then say "look what you got me for xmas" !!!
then have her buy you a $20 chainteck sound card so you can stream from your PC at 24bit
or, a SqueezeBox.

that is stupid cheap... if i listened to the radio i'd replace the mambo with that.

[scb]

is the mytek still only balanced out?

[Nick's Picks]

it doesn't
it operates in class A for a while, then AB from there.
i'm sure it still doesnt' suck.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Squeezebox3 > direct your amp

No pre-amp needed. DAC is optional. The SB3 sounds very good direct.

Very affordable, ultra-convenient access to your collection that will probably change how you listen.

[Nick's Picks]

Squeezebox3 > direct your amp

No pre-amp needed. DAC is optional. The SB3 sounds very good direct.

Very affordable, ultra-convenient access to your collection that will probably change how you listen.

I'll 2nd that

[Sanjay]

it doesn't
it operates in class A for a while, then AB from there.
i'm sure it still doesnt' suck.

I have no idea what that means, but thanks!  I wasn't planning on switching.  I need more stuff like I need a hole in my head.   

[RebelRebel]

is the mytek still only balanced out?

Nossir, either or. Just when going into an unbalanced component, pin 3 needs to be floating. I go unbalanced . I just finished a document on calibrating the unit with various amplifiers, and will be glad to help those with questions. Ive become really familiar with the unit over the past year, having had many conversations with Marcin about Operating details, various components used in the manufacturing, layout, etc..


I love Superlock Mode( everything is Upsampled to 24/192.) It has such an Open, Rich, Euphonic inviting sound.., very different from other DACs ive heard..Doesnt sound "digital" at all.

FYI, Chesky Records uses Mytek ADCs and DACs in their productions...

Samples of the Mytek can be found here

[BC]

another option, the Musical Fidelity DAC1:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1199144699

very nice measurements for this little guy, looks well engineered

http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/1204mf/index2.html