Dac

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cstmar01
cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
edited July 2012 in Wanted (WTB) Classifieds
Looking for a cheaper DAC in the 450 tops range. Was looking at a few new ones such as the Bifrost and also a Digital Link III by PS Audio as well. Was planning on using with the squeezebox touch I am getting. Don't want anything too crazy right now as I'm just trying this out for the first time.

Would like to have SPDIF and Optical USB does not need to be but would be nice. 24/192 via SPDIF and Optical would be what I would like as well.

Let me know what you got before I got and shop around on Audiogon. Saw a couple things over there but just like to check here first.
Post edited by cstmar01 on
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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited July 2012
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    Hey Chris,for a few more $ I got my DACMAGIC Plus @ HiFI Heaven,and absolutely love it! CD Quality! Cant say enough about it! Sounds incredible!
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,077
    edited July 2012
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    W4S has a new smaller dac out,think it has coax and usb too for under 400, with the same Saber dac chips as the bigger units.
    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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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited July 2012
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    You may want to have a look at my DAC review thread. Ultimately it's just one man's opinion, but was created specifically for helping someone in your position.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?133568-Entry-Level-DAC-Comparison-Results
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,587
    edited July 2012
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    I think a Keces DA-131 would be a great performer. I LOVE my DA-151 which is USB only. The 131 uses a little newer chipset and is coax/toslink. Great build quality, great parts, great design.

    http://www.acoustic-fun.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=29

    Highly recommended

    H9
    "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 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul!
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited July 2012
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    Sorry if I'm thread jacking here but I really like the idea of the 151 being hooked up to my squeezebox touch for only $250 after reading the dac comparison that was provided by Assimilated. I was looking for a dac too around $500 until I get myself a ps audio dac laters but that 151 sounds like a real winner in this price range
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited July 2012
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    no longer need one as I picked up an Arcam RDac yesterday at a dealer for a good price.

    and for those of you in Chicago, go to the taste of Chicago! It was cool, traffic sucked though. And I discovered GPS units don't like to work underground in the Aon Building :cry:
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  • slider2828
    slider2828 Posts: 118
    edited July 2012
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    I can build you a DAC that probably sounds better than a DACMagic or VDACII and allow you guys have change the onboard dac chip for different kinds of music........

    If anyone is interested let me know.... Its based on a BurrBrown PCM1794 DAC (better than a DA131 with a PCM1793) chip with upsampling CS8416 and a bunch of upgrades...

    I can do the same with a Wolfson DAC WM8741 chip....(rDac) If anyone is interested....

    If you want to go asynchronous with a Squeezebox via USB that is possible too... probably a 3 week turnaround time....

    Here is a look at one of them:

    599174_10151081712491177_2000648137_n.jpg
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited July 2012
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    I was not aware the squeezebox had a USB output.
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  • slider2828
    slider2828 Posts: 118
    edited July 2012
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    Squeezebox Touch and some other things, but yes can be done

    http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?94512-Announce-Enhanced-Digital-Output-app-USB-Dac-and-192k-Digital-Ouput

    logitech-squeezebox-touch_3.jpg
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited July 2012
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    Wow, I need to get my research on. I'd love to test that little Keyes on the Touch...
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  • slider2828
    slider2828 Posts: 118
    edited July 2012
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    Yeah its pretty big deal for SBT people.... I am able to build a DAC with a TE8802 which is probably the only asynch 24/192 chip out there for DACs.... so yeah.... I want to start building some DACs for people..... hahaha
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