[vintage9594]

Nuprime, Benchmark, eastern electric mini max dac

[JLM]

Had an original EE DAC, did nothing for me with standard tube, recommended tube, or sans tube.  Even heard a hyper modded one a couple of times and again, meh.

Benchmark - very well engineered.

[Mr Rick]

Schiit Audio offers a couple of Headphone Amp / DAC / Preamps. The DAC is an add on module that only has a USB input. Not sure these will fit all your requirements, but worth checking out.

[Dmason]

I think for the money you will not find anything close to the Chord Mojo. No off the shelf DAC chip here, this is a custom done Field Programmable Gate Array device of astonishing sound quality. Also for phones, it will put out 750mV/32Z and drives Audeze LCD2C very nicely. I am using it with the aforementioned phones, and direct into an Eastern Electric MiniMax amp into Isophon Orchester on open baffle, and this is muy simpatico...

I preferred the sound of the Mojo to the much more expensive Hugo.

[Mike B.]

look for a Wyrd4Sound DAC 2. The SE option is better parts and would be a benefit. Tons of inputs and remote volume control. It even has a analog in so it could be used as a preamp. Find them used at a very reasonable price.

[brooklyn]

I’ve been using the Chord Qutest for about eight months now with my headphone system..
I still say it was the best improvement in sound quality I’ve made in my system. I’m very
happy with mine and I've tried a few. The only problem is it may not have all the features
you want in a Dac.

[witchdoctor]

I own the ZDac and think you would like it. I replaced it with a bluesound node 3 years ago. Today I would recommend the SMSL M500:

https://youtu.be/0mrPNIxWWec

[JackD]

Teac UD-503 or the newly released UD-505.

[luisb]

Hi
For me, the best way to have the best DAC is from DIY route.  Never had experience with electronics, i am a physician.  getting basic solder skills was not a problem.  Take a look at twisted pear audio.  I did build the Buffalo III and now finishing the Buffalo IIIse pro.  Support is really fantastic, and they answer to all the questions you may need.

[undertow]

luisb,

I am aware of these guys totally forgot about them.

Super easy to build this equipment for me no doubt. I have done 100's of projects like this.

Issues are I don't see that a chassis is even provided or not? There are no photos of the final kit?

Also, truth is this design is virtually identical to a Topping DX7 dac with completed design, chassis, remote, headphone, linear power supply, DSD, USB, same chip set etc... all for 600 anyway. So I would expect identical performance to the Buffalo IIIse pro. No need to waste hours assembling this. If it was 299 a kit or something I could see it, but final product you can buy for 600 anyway same price as this kit.

Who knows the Chinese may have just ripped this DIY kit off and copied into a final product for the same price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YJHZ7CL/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2Q0JVLI22BSVA&psc=1

Thanks

[viggen]

Topping D90
MQA version coming out in 2 weeks which is what i am waiting for.

[FullRangeMan]

Nuprime, Benchmark, eastern electric mini max dac

This is a independent minimax dac review:
http://www.glowinthedarkaudio.com/eastern-electric-minimax-dac.html

[HT cOz]

Spot on. There are few if any dacs that are 10 years old + worth buying compared to current offerings. The original Berkeley Audio?  Meitner?  No volume control. 

Get a Microzotl to control volume, and a Border Patrol, Chord Qutest, Lampizator Amber, etc, and enjoy the music. 

I’m not totally sold on this concept, I run a Modwright Transporter and it still sounds great.  Plenty of digital inputs etc, naturally it has a lot of tube bad assness. 

[luisb]

luisb,

I am aware of these guys totally forgot about them.

Super easy to build this equipment for me no doubt. I have done 100's of projects like this.

Issues are I don't see that a chassis is even provided or not? There are no photos of the final kit?

Also, truth is this design is virtually identical to a Topping DX7 dac with completed design, chassis, remote, headphone, linear power supply, DSD, USB, same chip set etc... all for 600 anyway. So I would expect identical performance to the Buffalo IIIse pro. No need to waste hours assembling this. If it was 299 a kit or something I could see it, but final product you can buy for 600 anyway same price as this kit.

Who knows the Chinese may have just ripped this DIY kit off and copied into a final product for the same price.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YJHZ7CL/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2Q0JVLI22BSVA&psc=1

Thanks

Hi
In their support forum and diyaudio there are alot of photos from builders.  I had my share of chinese products, some amazing, but all with failure problems (an exepcion from Psvane until now). They do not provide cases, you can get them in HIFI2000, maybe not now, they are italian. Everything is customizable, but the PSU's they sell are fantastic. For the price of the Topping DX7s i don't believe they have the same quality of the PSU, USB receptor neither the clock modules and isolation.  But you are right, it's not a ready to build kit.  As for the design you have Russ White, the chinese i don't know. The bottom end is listening and for me, better some 5k DAC's, just IMHO

[undertow]

Yeah  I would not be using the USB anyway so quite honestly it would be of little value to me.

It is a pretty killer kit, but again its a lot more trouble and money than buying something that will do 99% already in a package on the market.

I do like the MINIMAX above. However, not that impressed having to switch between tube and op amps, then be stuck tube rolling to find out if its any better!

Sure you could just run off the op amps alone, but seems silly with a tube just sitting at idle on it.

[Vincent Kars]

Have a look here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/measurements-of-rme-adi-2-dac-and-headphone-amp.7546/
Slightly better:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-benchmark-dac3.3545/

[TJHUB]

Yeah  I would not be using the USB anyway so quite honestly it would be of little value to me.

It is a pretty killer kit, but again its a lot more trouble and money than buying something that will do 99% already in a package on the market.

I do like the MINIMAX above. However, not that impressed having to switch between tube and op amps, then be stuck tube rolling to find out if its any better!

Sure you could just run off the op amps alone, but seems silly with a tube just sitting at idle on it.

I've owned and really liked a Minimax DAC Plus, and now a DAC Jr.  I never found any of the 10 plus tubes I've tried to even come close to the performance of these DACs with the tube pulled out, and running Burson V5 opamps in all positions.  2 of my friends run DAC Pluses, and all 3 of us found the V5s to best any other opamps including the newer versions.