[drphoto]

Hey all. I'm thinking of upgrading my digital front end. Prime contender is to get Wayne to mod my SB3. Should I go w/ analog mod or digital only and get a new DAC? (current one is the Stan Warren Modded MSB Link along the his modded Aiwa XC-35 transport)

Like most people I want smooth analog like sound w/ good detail retrieval and a huge soundstage. Mine fulfills the smooth requirement, but lacks in the others.

I know the NOS DAC's were hot for awhile. I've read they sound smooth, but can be sort of uninvolving. So whats the current buzz on DAC's?

The big caveat is that I'm on a pretty tight budget. $1K total tops. Used, of course is perfectly ok. Maybe my DAC w/ a modded SB3 as transport and a Monarchy DIP to fix the jitter issue?

[JohnR]

It does seem counter-productive to introduce SPDIF in to the path if you don't have to... what would the additional boxes give you that the full SB3 mod wouldn't?

I was also wondering if it has to be wireless? If not then perhaps a USB DAC - ?

[wilsynet]

If you want smooth, dynamics and resolution, the Red Wine Audio Isabellina does everything you want.  It's $500 over your budget however.

[kyrill]

hi

i will advise you to mod yr SB3, it is very likely it will  best most USB dacs because of the diadvantages of USB input.
take the analogue and digital mod and  i would advise a paul hynes supply http://www.paulhynesdesign.com/page7.html
it sounds pristine. So you dont need a dac to enjoy the sound, later  you can upgrade to an external dac but it has to be a very good one

[roscoeiii]

I am enjoying the versatility of my standalone DAC, which would lead me to recommend that option. I would also look into a DAC that accepts a range of input types for greatest flexibility. I am using my DAC for digital inputs from both my Oppo DVD/CD player and my Airport Express. Since I use it for multiple inputs, I am glad I got a DAC that allows input switching on the front of the DAC. I went with a Beresford Caiman, having also enjoyed their 7510. Neither are NOS. I was also quite pleased with my Moodlab NOS DAC, but the lack of input switching on the front of it eventually made me move to the Beresford.

[BobM]

There's a Stereophile review of the new Ayre DAC, which has some proprietary technology that is supposed to make USB connections sound good.

[HAL]

Another option is the NAD C565BEE CD Player/DAC combo.

It uses the Wolfson Micro WM8741 DAC's with Minimum Phase and Apodising digital filters like the Ayre.  There is a Sample Rate Converter that will upsample CD or other source material to 24bit/96KHz or 24bit/192KHz to the DAC.

It has an optical S/PDIF input that allows up to 24bit/192KHz stereo source material to be replayed from an external source like a DVD-A player or PC with optical S/PDIF on a soundcard.

It has a USB input, but only supports MP3 or WMA style 320k/VBR compressed files via a thumb drive or external self powered drive.  Not enought current rating to power a disc drive.

Just a though.

[K Shep]

There's a Stereophile review of the new Ayre DAC, which has some proprietary technology that is supposed to make USB connections sound good.

The Ayre USB DAC definitely sounds good!  It is over drphoto's budget and it only supports USB connectivity.  The good news it eliminates the need for a sound card installed in your computer. 

So this is not the DAC to partner with a SB product or a transport.  It is the product to run a simple USB cable out of your computer directly to the DAC.

Kirk

[JLM]

One solution that fits your budget is a modded Behringer DEQ2496.  Most think of equalization when they think of the DEQ2496, but it also can be used a DAC.  The stock unit however is less than world class and since its a professional unit, has XLR outputs versus RCAs.  Reliability of these inexpensive units has been spotty, but typically the problems are immediately apparent, so shop from a place that will replace a faulty unit.

Scott Endler modded mine recently and supplied XLR/RCA interconnects.  His workmanship and prices are great, the total package would be well within your budget.  Resolution (detail/imaging) vastly improved, frequency extension enhanced, and after 200+ hours all this is still getting better.  Note that Scott's mods only affect the DAC.  His website describes the improvements and compares to what some of the other modders do.  I went with an "all Scott" wiring scheme (digital cable, interconnects, and speaker wire) and even use his attenuators now.

The reason why I even mention this option though is the EQ.  Its amazing what gets cleaned up/revealed when the frequency response is flat.  But just as amazing is bass/treble extension that this affords to my single driver speakers (which I "knew" were capable of doing better).  My audio setup now has more deep bass and mid-bass "body" than my 5.1 A/V system does in a smaller room.

[mikel51]

you could use a ps audio dac, it takes usb or spdf inputs and you would still have some $$$ left to upgrade your sb3