DAC/headphone amp recommendation

dragon1952
dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
edited August 2013 in Going Digital
Looking for a recommendation for a DAC/headphone amp for my computer setup. Would like to keep the cost a ~$200 or less, new or used. Must have,
24/96kHz minimum
USB 2.0 input with a decent USB implementation
headphone jack
L/R RCA line outs

Will be using on a Windows 7 machine via the PC's USB using JRiver as the playback software.
2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
Post edited by dragon1952 on
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited July 2013
    Look at Audio GD units, and the 2 100 dollar Schiit combo (but you couldn't use both at once).

    Browse the for sale forum at head-fi.org for options.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    EndersShadow wrote: »
    Look at Audio GD units, and the 2 100 dollar Schiit combo (but you couldn't use both at once).

    Browse the for sale forum at head-fi.org for options.

    Yeah have been checking all the forums and Ebay....in fact just got a Zero 09 from head-fi only to learn the USB is v1.0 :^ /
    The Schiit combo looks interesting but not sure I want to swap cables back and forth. The Musiland Monitor 02 looks like it has what I require.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited July 2013
    The musiland is also a good option but IIRC most audio gd units have a more powerful amp in them. My audio gd NFB-5 is huge lol
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • Devlon
    Devlon Posts: 355
    edited July 2013
    Audiophile Steve Guttenberg say the JD Labs O2 is the best headphone amp he has ever tested. Reasonably priced. See

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57526726-47/jds-labs-overachieving-headphone-amplifiers/

    This article led me to the purchase of the ODAC Dac (RCA version) which I've found to be the best performance to price ratio of any DAC on the market.
    Living Room: HK AVR 354 as pre/pro, 2 x Polk Audio Micropro 4000, Adcom GFA-7500, 2 x Mirage OMD-15
    2 x Mirage OMD-5, 1 x Mirage OMD-C1, APC H15, Sony S790, Philips 52" LCD, Beogram 3000, FAT (Firestone Audio Tobby DAC), Harmony One

    Den: Sherwood R-972,as pre/pro, 2 x Velodyne SPL-1000R, 3 x Crown Drivecore XLS1500, 2 x Polk Audio Lsi9
    1 x Polk Audio Lsic, 2 x Polk Audio Lsifx, Sony S790, APC H15, Dspeaker Dual Core 2.0, W4S DAC 2, Keces DA-151
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    Devlon wrote: »
    Audiophile Steve Guttenberg say the JD Labs O2 is the best headphone amp he has ever tested. Reasonably priced. See

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57526726-47/jds-labs-overachieving-headphone-amplifiers/

    This article led me to the purchase of the ODAC Dac (RCA version) which I've found to be the best performance to price ratio of any DAC on the market.

    Looks like no RCA line outs though. That's actually more important to me than the headphone section which I want but will likely seldom use.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • Devlon
    Devlon Posts: 355
    edited July 2013
    They have the RCA out option now
    Living Room: HK AVR 354 as pre/pro, 2 x Polk Audio Micropro 4000, Adcom GFA-7500, 2 x Mirage OMD-15
    2 x Mirage OMD-5, 1 x Mirage OMD-C1, APC H15, Sony S790, Philips 52" LCD, Beogram 3000, FAT (Firestone Audio Tobby DAC), Harmony One

    Den: Sherwood R-972,as pre/pro, 2 x Velodyne SPL-1000R, 3 x Crown Drivecore XLS1500, 2 x Polk Audio Lsi9
    1 x Polk Audio Lsic, 2 x Polk Audio Lsifx, Sony S790, APC H15, Dspeaker Dual Core 2.0, W4S DAC 2, Keces DA-151
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    Devlon wrote: »
    They have the RCA out option now

    Cool....can you point me to a link?
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    I might be able to go as high as $300
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    Just sprung for a used Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11. Looks like it's got everything I wanted.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited July 2013
    Thanks for all of the input ;^ )
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited August 2013
    dragon1952 wrote: »
    Just sprung for a used Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11. Looks like it's got everything I wanted.

    I'm really enjoying this so far. Funny, but I was so set on getting a USB DAC for the computer rig and then I spring for a M2Tech HiFace Two usb/spdif converter now I'm not even using the USB input. But I highly recommend the HiFace Two for people with similar set-ups. Wow, what a difference in SQ over the computer's USB port straight into the DAC.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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