Need help selecting a DAC

joeparaski
joeparaski Posts: 1,865
edited May 2006 in Electronics
I bought an Assemblage 1 from a club member and I liked the results. I now want to add a DAC to my upstairs system so I figured I'd use the Assemblage upstairs and get a better one for the main system in the basement.

However...I'm getting a major headache trying to figure out WHICH dac to buy. There are so many models (I'm been searching e-bay) and I just don't know what to look for in regards to specs and performance and equally don't know what I should pay for these things. I'd like to keep the price at or under $300 and I don't mind buying a used unit. Any suggestions???
Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
Post edited by joeparaski on
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2006
    what does your system consist of? Will the DAC be for music listening?
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited May 2006
    I have a Sony CX455 carrousel cd player (holds 400 cd's). I haven't selected a DVD player yet but that's next on the list. So the DAC will have to toggle between the Sony Cd player and whatever DVD player I get.

    As you can see by my sig line my system is mostly vintage 80's stuff.
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited May 2006
    Buy one used at a decent price, take a chance....that used to be what this hobby was about.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited May 2006
    danger boy wrote:
    what does your system consist of? Will the DAC be for music listening?


    Oh, and yes, for now it will be mostly music and later, when I get a DVD, I figure it will be about 70% music and 30% movies. I actually watch NO t.v. at all.
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2006
    very nice.... a external DAC as you know can add a lot of clarity to the audio you here.. that's why you're looking for another 1 now. ;)

    I'm sorry i can't recommend any DAC's out there, because my knowledge is pretty limited when it comes to them. THe one i've been using for several years now is a tube DAC. THe benefit of going with a tube DAC is that you can roll the tubes and tailor the sound to fit your needs. Whereby a solid state DAC you can't.

    The one i use is outdated by todays standards, but in a vintage system.. it does sound very good. I use it with all vintage gear too.

    THe nice thing about most DAC's is that if you don't like it.. you can almost always recover your investment. My DAC runs about $350 to $425 on Ebay or Audiogon. I wouldn't suggest you pay any more than that. Not that it's not worth it... but it would be paying to much. It's a California Audio Labs Alpha tube DAC. No longer made anymore.. the CAL company used to make high end solid gear.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2006
    http://cgi.ebay.com/California-Audio-Labs-CAL-Alpha-D-A-Processor-Tube-DAC_W0QQitemZ9720368270QQcategoryZ14978QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    this is the one I use.. every time I take it out of the mix.. i can immediately tell something is missing from the music... depty, openness and soundstage and of course bass and clairity.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited May 2006
    Some suggestions of great used units at a reasonable price

    Adcom GDA 600
    Adcom GDA 700 (HDCD)
    Monarchy 18 B (18 bit w/piggy back upgrade)
    Monarchy 22 B/C (C being slightly higher $$)
    Aragon D2A (Older generation 18 bit)
    Aragon D2A2 (20 bit HDCD)
    AMC Dac8 (not the best of the rest but reasonable $$$ and still an overall improvement. Don't pay more than $150 used)
    Parasound makes some good units as well

    These are units I've owned or heard and should be purchased for <$400 in most cases (the Adcom GDA 700 and Aragon D2A2 are topping out at $400) but they are also among the better units.

    FWIW

    H9

    P.s. Be patient as some of these units don't come up FS that often
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited May 2006
    McCormack DAC-1 no affiliation with seller...

    Review
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited May 2006
    Ok guys, thanks for the suggestions, at least I have a "road map" to follow.
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
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