Stepping up my game. Need advice on DACS

Firejedi · « **on:** 28 Mar 2016, 02:56 pm »

Hello,

I am planning on buying myself a real amp (probably from Odyssey) in the very near future to drive my Sonus Faber Concertinos. My next step will be getting music to it. I will be using a cd player, a turntable (occasionally), and wireless sources like Pandora, Spotify, my iTunes library, and maybe Tidal someday.

I am not able to spend a ton of money on this, so leave out anything over $500.

Since this is the first time I've really powered my speakers properly, and since I have never used a DAC before, I am sure that anything will be an improvement. While there was some talk of this in my other post, I wanted to make this one focused on DACs.

I should mention that I may need a preamp to hook up my sources. So if there are any combos out, that would be good too. I will only have a cd player, and maybe a turntable (not sure because it is a cheap old one).

So, let your recommendations fly. I'm ready to do some research.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

orientalexpress · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 03:21 pm »

I have heard Gustard X12u and Ifi DsD Dac.both do dsd .

Freo-1 · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 03:39 pm »

Check out the Benchmark DAC2. Very hard to beat at any reasonable price.

JLM · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 03:44 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 28 Mar 2016, 03:39 pm

Check out the Benchmark DAC2. Very hard to beat at any reasonable price.

Please read the OP's request to leave out anything over $500.

srb · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 03:47 pm »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 28 Mar 2016, 03:39 pm

Check out the Benchmark DAC2. Very hard to beat at any reasonable price.

The least expensive version of the Benchmark DAC2, the DAC2 L, is $1,695. Even finding one used wouldn't come remotely close to the budget of $500 or less.

mresseguie · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:00 pm »

Hello, Paul.

You're chugging along, aren't you?

The Odyssey (or similarly good) amp will make you think you have new speakers.

There are many DACs that can double as preamps. I can't tell you many for under $500 because I haven't paid much attention to it. Orientalexpress mentioned the Gustard X12 ($515). It has a single ES9018 DAC chip. I think most single single ES9018 chip DACs retail for twice that. ES9018 isn't the only good chip out there. There are Burr Brown, Akamai (sp?), TI, and others perhaps.

These brands or DACs come to mind in the <$500 range:
Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus
NAD
Schiit
iFi
Dragonfly2
Audio-GD
Jolida
M2Tech

Buying used gets you higher (sometimes much higher) bang for your bucks. You might find a DAC for under $500 that retailed for over $1000 just 18 months ago.

Geez. I have forgotten some names.

JLM · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:09 pm »

Odyssey plus your Concertino speakers could easily warrant a better DAC than $500 can buy new.

The iFi DAC/preamps don't have analog input for your turntable.

Halide DAC HD is absolutely tiny, comes with captive USB and RCA cables, and is well regarded (about $450 depending on length of USB cable).

Schiit BiFrost DAC is $400, American made by two guys who know their stuff, and is upgradable. (At $600 the BiFrost Multi-Bit reportedly is a big step up.)

I had an Emotiva DC-1 ($500 DAC/preamp/headphone amp) last year that was pretty good sounding and well built that had an analog input (but you'd still need to add a phone preamp). Look for sales.

On the used market Audiogon.com has a CEntrance CX DAC/preamp/headphone amp currently listed for $500, but that's about the only thing I found in your price range that holds much promise IME. DAC technology is moving so fast that it's best not to over invest, especially in a combination unit.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:49 pm »

Quote from: srb on 28 Mar 2016, 03:47 pm

The least expensive version of the Benchmark DAC2, the DAC2 L, is $1,695. Even finding one used wouldn't come remotely close to the budget of $500 or less.

BUT, he said he will also need a preamp. The DAC2 can act as both a preamp that can pass both analog and digital sources. Factor THAT into the mix, and a gently used one goes for 1300 to 1500, now its not so bad.

ClefChef · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 04:54 pm »

Having tried most of the above mentioned dacs my recommendation would go to Wyred 4 Sound DAC-1, should be able to find one for $500 or less.

toddc2 · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 05:09 pm »

Quote from: ClefChef on 28 Mar 2016, 04:54 pm

Having tried most of the above mentioned dacs my recommendation would go to Wyred 4 Sound DAC-1, should be able to find one for $500 or less.

This might be a good choice. The W4S DAC-1 has a volume control so it can feed your amp directly. No preamp function though.

I used my W4S DAC-2 in this mode before adding a turntable with very good results.

Todd

ClefChef · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 05:15 pm »

Quote from: toddc2 on 28 Mar 2016, 05:09 pm

This might be a good choice. The W4S DAC-1 has a volume control so it can feed your amp directly. No preamp function though.

I used my W4S DAC-2 in this mode before adding a turntable with very good results.

Todd

Ahem...DAC-1 does NOT have volume control, DAC-2 does.

gnostalgick · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 05:34 pm »

Hi again,

I think I agree its worth stretching your budget--if only just a bit. I previously mentioned the Rega dac in your other thread; it should be close to $600 used. It does lack hi-res through usb input if that's a concern & is not really considered the last word in anything--but it seems to be one of the least offensive dacs in recent memory.
If you like more detail, the Multi-bit Schiit BiFrost should be worth the extra cost.
(I ended up with the NAD C510 which is an all around excellent dac/preamp--based on the M51, but its digital only & almost $1k refurbished.)

Kirk

toddc2 · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 05:37 pm »

Quote from: ClefChef on 28 Mar 2016, 05:15 pm

Ahem...DAC-1 does NOT have volume control, DAC-2 does.

Sorry, thanks for correcting this error.

Tone Depth · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 06:55 pm »

Depending on your budget for a preamp, the AVA Vision DAC/Preamp http://avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113&Itemid=242 would meet your needs.

Quote from: Firejedi on 28 Mar 2016, 02:56 pm

Hello,

I am planning on buying myself a real amp (probably from Odyssey) in the very near future to drive my Sonus Faber Concertinos. My next step will be getting music to it. I will be using a cd player, a turntable (occasionally), and wireless sources like Pandora, Spotify, my iTunes library, and maybe Tidal someday.

I am not able to spend a ton of money on this, so leave out anything over $500.

Since this is the first time I've really powered my speakers properly, and since I have never used a DAC before, I am sure that anything will be an improvement. While there was some talk of this in my other post, I wanted to make this one focused on DACs.

I should mention that I may need a preamp to hook up my sources. So if there are any combos out, that would be good too. I will only have a cd player, and maybe a turntable (not sure because it is a cheap old one).

So, let your recommendations fly. I'm ready to do some research.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

Firejedi · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 07:51 pm »

Thanks everyone for your posts thus far. I appreciate everyones input. I understand that my budget is not what it might need to be, but at this point, anything I get will better than what I've had in the past. I may end up with an Odyssey Cyclops which would give me the volume control, but I think I would still only have one input.

I can probably push it up to $700 (WAF gets a little shaky here), but I haven't worked that one out yet.

it may be a situation where I buy what I can afford right now, and upgrade later. Hopefully I can find the sweet spot. I have a Denon Receiver that might be able to function as a pre-amp, but I don't want to use something that will affect the sound. I'm still trying to come to a clear understanding of what affects what when you start connecting all together. Thats why I have turned to you good people to help me.

So I will officially say that recommendations up to $700 are fair game.

And don't be afraid to tell me that I'm crazy and will never get a useful setup for my budget. If I have to, I will connect the cd to my amp when I want cd's and the DAC to my amp when I want Pandora, etc. I am intrigued by the high res stuff (FLAC feels, Tidal, etc) because when I really sit and listen, I want it to sound good.

Or maybe I am going about this all wrong. Some of you have been following my other posts know that I am kinda trying to find my way with all this. I could get a Rega Brio for $600 which would leave more money for other things. But in looking at the Odyssey amp, I figure that I will not need to upgrade that for some time. I'm basically driving down the hifi road asking for direction since there really aren't any maps.

Also, the lack of a phono input is not a deal breaker for me. I bought a turntable and some big band/swing albums just for fun. I can easily run that off of an old receiver. I thinking more about being able to listen to Pandora, Tidal, and my current iTunes collection.

Thanks to everyone. I will continue reading with interest and ask questions when I need to which will probably be way too often.

JackD · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 08:57 pm »

If it's combination of inputs and outputs will work for you maybe one of the dealers on the board will work out a deal for you on the Nuprime DAC-9.

http://www.nuprimeaudio.com/index.php/products/dacs-and-headphone-amps/home-audio-dacs/dac-9.html

charmerci · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 11:16 pm »

Quote from: ClefChef on 28 Mar 2016, 04:54 pm

Having tried most of the above mentioned dacs my recommendation would go to Wyred 4 Sound DAC-1, should be able to find one for $500 or less.

Did you try the Schiit? Because of all the ones mentioned - that would be of the most interest to me.

gnostalgick · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 11:24 pm »

The Marantz HD Dac 1 has an analog input & volume control. $799
Chord has some well regarded budget products too.

walkern · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Mar 2016, 11:31 pm »

There is a fairly extensive list of DACs below $450 over at the Cheap and Cheerful Circle. Might be worth checking out that.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 Mar 2016, 01:12 am »

It's beyond your budget, but the Gustard X20U at $869 delivered makes a great DAC and could postpone the need for a pre as it has a decent digital volume control and 2V output. Alternatively (again above your budget, but may work as it includes a pre) would be a used Exogal Comet for ~$1600 which has volume control and an analog input in addition to digital inputs.