DAC options @ ~ $400

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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    Which HRT did you get? Some are just ok and some r excellent for the money...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • Absolute_Zero
    Absolute_Zero Posts: 72
    HRT Music Streamer III
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Absolute_Zero wrote: »
    tonyb wrote: »
    Absolute_Zero wrote: »
    Going to try the HRT as a budget friendly option and the Emotiva as the higher end with Remote option.

    Emo as a "higher end" option ? LOL. Those 2 to me anyway is a budget option, and lower than budget option.

    That said, for the price.....I expect the Emo to be better than the HRT. I had the HRT version 1 here for all of 48 hours and thought a Pioneer vintage cdp sounded better. If your going to use the HRT for some computer music, yeah...it will sound better than your run of the mill computer....but the Emo I'm thinking should be lots better in definition and lower bass notes.

    When you said that I felt like you were belittling my options. And yes they are my options that I have up to $400. That's just a reality. I don't have $2 or $4K to drop.

    I looked at the PS Audio DLIII and and I don't want an upsampling DAC that I can't turn off. Also the user manual says there are no drivers so if it's using USB Audio Class 1 drivers (Windows) it's limited to 24/96. Also there is no remote.

    With reviews of both the PS Audio and the DC-1 being stellar I have to go with the one that answers my wants as a consumer.

    I'm sure Tony didn't mean any offense. As a example, A Honda Civic is a great car, reliable, built ok for the price, and gets the job done. But it certainly isn't high end.
    2 channel:
    Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
    Theater:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,759
    Whatever happened to putting the $ sign before the #'s?
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    ken brydson wrote: »
    Whatever happened to putting the $ sign before the #'s?

    Whatever happened to our pact to ignore these guys? :p
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • motorhead43026
    motorhead43026 Posts: 3,897
    Nightfall wrote: »
    ken brydson wrote: »
    Whatever happened to putting the $ sign before the #'s?

    Whatever happened to our pact to ignore these guys? :p


    We must feed the trolls.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,962
    edited November 2015
    Absolute_Zero wrote: »
    [
    When you said that I felt like you were belittling my options.

    No, just the terminology of "high end". My comments were not meant to belittle anything.

    I asked on the first page what you needed the dac to do. You didn't mention a non upsampling dac, nor did you mention it should go above 24/96 files.

    You shouldn't rule out an upsampling dac either. It all depends on how well it's implemented in a piece.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Absolute_Zero
    Absolute_Zero Posts: 72
    Sorry, just used to seeing a lot of what I've been looking at not being just an upsampling DAC. Most see to offer that as a feature that you enable.
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  • adam2434
    adam2434 Posts: 995
    The DC-1 is the best sounding DAC I've owned - better than the following DACs I've owned, some of which cost more than the DC-1.

    Better than:
    MSB Nelson Link with P1000 power supply
    Music Hall DAC25.2 with NOS Mazda tube upgrade
    Parasound Zdac
    Lite DAC-AH with opamp upgrade

    I liked it enough to buy a second one for a secondary system.

    To me, it just sounds more detailed and natural vs. the others I've owned. I really have no desire to upgrade.

    The Music Hall and Lite lacked detail and resolution vs. the DC-1. The MSB and Parasound had some glare/edginess vs. the DC-1.

    Not saying it's a giant killer, as I have not heard other, more costly DACs in my system.

    I can definitely say that it's worth evaluating in the $400-500 range. The return policy makes it a no-brainer.


    5.1 and 2.0 ch Basement Media Room: Outlaw 975/Emotiva DC-1/Rotel RB-1582 MKII/Rotel RB-1552/Audiosource Amp 3/Polk LS90, CS400i, FX500i/Outlaw X-12, LFM-1/JVD DLA-HD250/Da-Lite 100" HCCV/Sony ES BDP/Sonos Connect. DC-1/RB-1582 MKII/Sonos Connect also feed Polk 7C in garage or Dayton IO655 on patio.
    2.1 ch Basement Gym: Denon AVR-2807/Klipsch Forte I or NHT SB2/JBL SUB 550P x 2/Chromecast Audio.
    2.0 ch Living Room: Rotel RX-1052/Emotiva DC-1/Klipsch RF-7 III/Sony ES BDP/LG 65" LED.
    2.0 ch Semi-portable: Klipsch Powergate/NHT SB3/Chromecast Audio.
    Kitchen: Sonos Play5.
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    adam2434 wrote: »
    Not saying it's a giant killer, as I have not heard other, more costly DACs in my system.

    I can definitely say that it's worth evaluating in the $400-500 range. The return policy makes it a no-brainer.

    That's a fair way to get your point across. Thumbs up.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    Absolute_Zero wrote: »
    HRT Music Streamer III

    Cool. I owned a II and it was decent but nothing special. Very analytical, not much air, the bass was a little thin and the soundstage a little narrow. But I didn't notice any of that until I picked up a II+. All those elements improved. I also really like my microstreamer feeding a pair of Philips XI cans. Both of the newer HRTs compare favorably to my arcam rDAC which I really like.

    Let us know what you think!
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • Absolute_Zero
    Absolute_Zero Posts: 72
    So I spent 3 weeks with each unit. The HRT is a great little unit. The Emotiva seems cleaner/quieter and better sound stage and not as sterile.

    The remote is a nice convenience.

    If anyone has a strict budget of under $200 give the HRT a serious listen. For the $240 difference long term it will be money well spent.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    EMOTIVA WINS!
    Hey, where'd everyone go.
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  • Absolute_Zero
    Absolute_Zero Posts: 72
    Keep in mind that some would most likely prefer the HRT. They were simply differences and I considered it a trade off. If you like the more analytical sound then one will most likely prefer the HRT.

    Considering that I budgeted I felt that the remote long term had at least $100 value of the $240 price difference. At least that's how I justified it :smile:

    Now if the HRT would have had a remote then I could have seen my self going with it. It tended to do a bit better job than the EMOTIVA on some more poorly recorded tracks IMO.
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    @Absolute_Zero, I'm glad that you found a DAC that works for you and that you were able to compare two different pieces, ultimately going with the one that sounds best in your set / to your ears.

    It's sad that the raginglunatic tried to hijack your thread. I highly recommend the IGNORE feature that the forum offers to make your experiences here more pleasant in the future.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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  • Absolute_Zero
    Absolute_Zero Posts: 72
    Thx. I would have REALLY liked to see the TEAC with a remote. That looks like it does about every format and they have been around a really long time doing audio...

    Ken took care of the issues fortunately.
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