DAC 60 new thread

dcktr · « **on:** 10 Feb 2006, 02:03 am »

As Danny suggested, , new thread for the DAC 60. Waiting to hear more reviews of the modded DAC 60

crooner · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 03:20 am »

Just ordered a DAC-60 from Danny.
I will use it with a Squeezebox 3 to play my lossless FLAC files.

For the price nothing even comes close. There are other options from US manufacturers but I hate the tiny boxes with external wallwarts. You end up paying much more with their power supply "upgrades".

The DAC-60 looks like a real audio component with a full size chassis, large internal power supply and a nice thick brushed aluminum faceplate. I think it's going to blend well with the rest of my equipment.

I bought my unit unmodded but will probably do some basic mods to it later. A pair of Auricaps as coupling caps perhaps.

I will also be rolling tubes since I have some NOS Amperex Bugle Boys from my Audio Research PH3 tube stash. Nice to have another audio component using the same tubes.

I'll post my impressions as soon as I get it.

Best regards,
crooner

Danny Richie · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 02:45 pm »

Quote

A pair of Auricaps as coupling caps perhaps.

Better yet, replace the output coupling caps with 3.3uF Sonicaps ($9.00 each) then by-pass it with a .1uF Gen.2 Sonicaps ($2.70 each).

This is a very nice upgrade for not very much money.

Loftprojection · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 03:51 pm »

Crooner, I don't know if your SqueezeBox replaced a CD player but if so I'd be interested in reading you impressions. I've been checking out the SB with mods or external DAC for a possible replacement to my Arcam CD23T. The SB convenience is extraordinary but I'm not willing to compromise sound quality for convenience. I'm convinced a good DAC (like Danny's) can replace the DAC that is in a good CD player like mine but even with all the positive comments on the SB I'm still not sure the SB (stock or modded) can beat a good CD player as transport. Thanks.

sl_1800 · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 04:14 pm »

Loftprojection,

My Squeezebox should arrive today and I'll be reporting my findings here soon. My initial testing will be a stock SB3 with NO DAC as I don't have one. My other digital sources are a Sony 7000 DVD and a Sony 777 multi channel SA/CD player, both stock units.

I too was a non believer but I had a guy I trust tell me it was the greatest thing so I ordered and we shall see.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 04:59 pm »

I had a customer come here for auditions a few weeks back and he brought his lap top and Squeeze Box along. It had been modded by Red Wine Audio.

I liked how it worked. It was very user friendly. I also thick it could easily replace most transports.

It had non aggressive sound to it and sounded pretty nice, but was not to the level of my CEC transport and DAC-60 combo, but then again it was pretty cheap too.

I wonder if they make one with a digital out on it?

There was also a problem it had with giving off quite a bit of RFI noise that was picked up in my system. This may have been the cause for the high noise floor. Even plugged into by Dodd Audio balanced power supply it had way too much noise floor for me.

gitarretyp · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 05:31 pm »

Quote from: Danny

I had a customer come here for auditions a few weeks back and he brought his lap top and Squeeze Box along. It had been modded by Red Wine Audio.

I liked how it worked. It was very user friendly. I also thick it could easily replace most transports.

It had non aggressive sound to it and sounded pretty nice, but was not to the level of my CEC transport and DAC-60 combo, but then again it was pretty cheap too.

I wonder if they make one with a digital out on it?

There was also a problem it had wi ...

That'd be me that brought the SB. The noise issue is being taken care of --and a couple of mods being added, as well. It was RF from the wireless card being picked-up by the exposed cap leads. When using the SB wired, it's virtually silent.

They do have digital outs, and i am curious how it would sound compared to the CEC as a transport.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #7 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 06:06 pm »

I use mine strictly with the digital outs, modded by Wayne. It sounds great. Upgrade that power supply if you are using it though.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 07:09 pm »

Quote

That'd be me that brought the SB. The noise issue is being taken care of --and a couple of mods being added, as well. It was RF from the wireless card being picked-up by the exposed cap leads. When using the SB wired, it's virtually silent.

I had a feeling that was a fixable problem.

Quote

They do have digital outs, and i am curious how it would sound compared to the CEC as a transport.

I am curious about that too. Even the best transports are at a disadvantage to a technology with non-moving parts. No clocking errors no jitter, etc.

Loftprojection · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 08:23 pm »

Danny, a challenge for you, find a SB you can test in digital out against your CEC as a transport both going into your DAC-60. If you endup liking the SB more then your CEC you'd even save some money! I have to admit I'm still pretty sceptic, specially against your CEC transport that is supposed to be quite a machine...

sl_1800 · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 09:11 pm »

Danny,

When I get my Squeezebox I'll bring it down sometime and we will compare it to your transport.

Loftprojection · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 10:56 pm »

Quote from: sl_1800

Danny,

When I get my Squeezebox I'll bring it down sometime and we will compare it to your transport.

Yaaaa, now we're talking! hahaha

Danny Richie · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Feb 2006, 11:04 pm »

That will be cool.

crooner · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 04:24 am »

Hi guys,
I am liking my Squeezebox a lot. I am no longer using a dedicated CD machine, so I was playing my discs using a Denon DVD-2910 universal player. The Denon is superb for SACD and DVD Audio but redbook performance was plain adequate, or even subpar. I found it was at least the equivalent of my former Rega Planet. But that unit is, what, 8 years old. CD technology has come a long way since then.

I tried a Roku Soundbridge and it was crappy. RFI and other nasties everywhere. Upsampled the digital output to 48 kHz. I returned it.

The Squeezebox is so much better. I am in the process of converting my CD collection into lossless FLAC files. I bought a dedicated 300 GB hard drive to store the files.

Even with the analog outputs, the SB easily beats the Denon in virtually all areas of performance. The Denon while not TOTL retails for $700.

I figured, the only way to beat the performance of the Squeezebox internal DAC and analog buffer would be to go exotic. However, my budget is rather limited. The DAC-60 seemed like the perfect choice.

I'll keep you guys posted on my impressions. And Danny, thanks for the coupling cap upgrade suggestion. Will do!!

Regards,
crooner

kenk · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 06:50 am »

Quote from: crooner

I figured, the only way to beat the performance of the Squeezebox internal DAC and analog buffer would be to go exotic. However, my budget is rather limited. The DAC-60 seemed like the perfect choice. .

I don't think you need to go exotic to beat the stock sb3. I tried the sb3 for two weeks and IMHO my Denon 3910 (modded with zapfilter) was better sounding than the stock sb3.

Ken

tigzstudio · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 07:29 am »

the way to go with the sb3 is to get it fully modded (bolder mod), and have it as transport to dac. and imo I am feeling this is the only way I would ever go with the sb3.

crooner · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 07:30 am »

the Denon 3910 I believe sells for twice as much as the 2910, plus you have the mods. One thing is for certain, the SB3 will sound better than exotic stuff from 7 or 8 years ago.

The Squeezebox in unmodded form will benefit from warm sounding interconnects. I am using 1 meter XLO Pro 100s. I also use snap-on ferrite cores (2) on the power supply cable.

crooner · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 07:34 am »

The SB3 is no "holy grail" or anything remotely like it. If your digital equipment is worth thousands of dollars perhaps you are going to find it lacking. However, the convenience it provides is well worth it. Sonically the errors I find are of omission.

I am not looking to turn mine into an instant Mark Levinson but perhaps make it communicate the musical message in the best possible way without going broke. I am sure the DAC-60 will put me closer to this goal.

Loftprojection · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 03:28 pm »

Quote from: tigzstudio

the way to go with the sb3 is to get it fully modded (bolder mod), and have it as transport to dac. and imo I am feeling this is the only way I would ever go with the sb3.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm still not sure if even used as a transport it can equal a good CD player's transport. My Arcam is not extraordinary but in the $1500-2500 CDP market it can definitely hold it's place. In the Bolder and RWA forums almost everybody is raving about their modded SB3 and some got rid of expensive CD players but there is always that little comment that bugs me a bit, it sounds very good and it's so practical I would never go back to a CD player. Well for me, everytime I buy new equipment, it has to sound better then the current stuff. For the SB3 I might be willing to compromise with "sounds has good" but definitely not sounds almost as good! Danny's opinion when he compares it against his CEC transport will be very interesting to read...

Cheers.

crooner · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 05:45 pm »

One thing is undeniable: the SB3 will eliminate all mechanical transport related distortions in the data stream and reduce jitter considerably.

The WIFI enabled Squeezebox also allows all computer equipment to be housed in a different room, away from your system. Noise from fans and transports are completely eliminated.