[pjchappy]

I'm looking for suggestions for a USB dac and a headphone amp.  For now, I will be using them with audio-technica ATH-M50s.  Impedance: 38 ohms; Sensitivity: 99 dB

The source will be a Sony VAIO VGN-FW140E laptop.  Main purpose will be for mixing my own recordings. . .and for now, will be my primary source for listening to music, also.

Budget is around $600, but I could be talked into a little higher (maybe. . .$800?).

Thanks in advance!

Paul

[chadh]

I'll offer you the same advice that was given to me:  consider a Peachtree Audio Decco.  I just bought one.  Unfortunately, it won't arrive for a few days so I can't offer you any personal experiences.  But it offers a supremely flexible package that is reportedly of uniformly high quality, with:

Scott Nixon designed DAC (with USB, optical and SPDIF inputs)
Tubed pre-amp (with pre-amp outs)
50w/channel chip-amplification (also influenced by Scott Nixon's work)
Speaker outs AND a headphone out which is supposedly very nice.

Of course, all that flexibility may not be of value to you...

Chad

[pjchappy]

Now that you mentioned it, I remember reading about that a couple months ago.  Any AC reviews out there?  I'll do a search.  Thanks!  It looks pretty cool.  Crutchfield even carries it, which surprises me a bit.

I'm still open for suggestions.

[billc]

I don't know what your source material format is, but a very inexpensive solution that I recently stumbled upon is the Edirol UA-1EX. It is a 24/96 DAC, with optical digital, analog, and headphone output, and USB input.  Very small form factor. 

I tested it this week using HDTracks free download sampler record.  The files are FLAC format.  I added the FLAC codec to Windows Media Player (http://www.xiph.org/dshow/), and played the files from my Dell Latitude 620, through the Edirol UA-1EX, into AKG 701's, and the sound was surprisingly excellent and could get very loud. 

This is certainly a lower budget, portable solution.  The Edirol comes with an ASIO driver.  Worth listening to for the price (around $75).  The more expensive gear will have more low level detail and somewhat cleaner sound, but at 24/96 the files sound very very good.

Bill C

[launche]

http://www.audio-gd.com/enweb/DAC-Compass.htm

[ecramer]

Give this a look  from cryo-parts



http://www.cryo-parts.com/style_audio.html

might be juhst what you are looking for.

[jrebman]

I second what Ekramer just said.  I have a StyleAudio Topaz here and I'm really impressed.  It takes both optical and USB inputs -- can do 24/192 with optcial) and has both a headamp (very good one) and line level RCA outs for a preamp or other headphone amp.

Built like a tank, yet very compact and amazingly enough has a 1/4" headphone connector.

Definitely give this one a good look.

-- Jim

[cryoparts]

I second what Ekramer just said.  I have a StyleAudio Topaz here and I'm really impressed.  It takes both optical and USB inputs -- can do 24/192 with optcial) and has both a headamp (very good one) and line level RCA outs for a preamp or other headphone amp.

Built like a tank, yet very compact and amazingly enough has a 1/4" headphone connector.

Definitely give this one a good look.

-- Jim

Thanks!  Feedback has been universally positive on this little gem.  There will be some killer press on them pretty soon as well.

Peace,

Lee

[Mariusz]

I second what Ekramer just said.  I have a StyleAudio Topaz here and I'm really impressed.  It takes both optical and USB inputs -- can do 24/192 with optcial) and has both a headamp (very good one) and line level RCA outs for a preamp or other headphone amp.

Built like a tank, yet very compact and amazingly enough has a 1/4" headphone connector.

Definitely give this one a good look.

-- Jim

Thanks!  Feedback has been universally positive on this little gem.  There will be some killer press on them pretty soon as well.

Peace,

Lee

Looks really cute. What is the $$$ ?
I am looking for something like that (2nd rig). If it only had tubes.
My Stax system is SS and I love it but would like to play with tubes to change presentation on Q.

[Mariusz]

Sorry, got all the info - very nice.

[cryoparts]

I second what Ekramer just said.  I have a StyleAudio Topaz here and I'm really impressed.  It takes both optical and USB inputs -- can do 24/192 with optcial) and has both a headamp (very good one) and line level RCA outs for a preamp or other headphone amp.

Built like a tank, yet very compact and amazingly enough has a 1/4" headphone connector.

Definitely give this one a good look.

-- Jim

Thanks!  Feedback has been universally positive on this little gem.  There will be some killer press on them pretty soon as well.

Peace,

Lee

Looks really cute. What is the $$$ ?
I am looking for something like that (2nd rig). If it only had tubes.
My Stax system is SS and I love it but would like to play with tubes to change presentation on Q.

I can tape a really nice NOS tube to the top of the case.   

Topaz is $449, Emerald is $349.

Peace,

Lee

[Robert57]

Cryoparts is also now stocking the brand new Music Hall 25.2 USB and SPDIF DAC, which has tubes and a head amp, for about $600. I'd love to hear some more info and feedback on on how this compares with the Styleaudio DACs sonically. The guys at Head-Fi are just beginning to try this out, with tentatively good early returns.

http://www.cryo-parts.com/music_hall_audio.html

[Brown]

Good stuff guys. Have you seen or heard about the Musicstreamer + from High Resolution Technologies ? $249 16 bit 8x oversampling no power supply required. Takes power from USB then regenerates it for DAC.  Output 2.2V. They make a lessor model for $80 as well. From the brains at Muse under a different company.
     Its silly good for the money. Very close to my reference at 12 times the cost. Makes one wonder what we paid for at times.

[jrebman]

Brown,

Does this have RCAs or 3.5mm output connections?

Thanks,

Jim

[evan1]

Cryoparts is also now stocking the brand new Music Hall 25.2 USB and SPDIF DAC, which has tubes and a head amp, for about $600. I'd love to hear some more info and feedback on on how this compares with the Styleaudio DACs sonically. The guys at Head-Fi are just beginning to try this out, with tentatively good early returns.

http://www.cryo-parts.com/music_hall_audio.html

See the New york Audio Rave post under Mini Rave , Princton NJ. We compared it to the Ps Audio

[ecramer]

Cryoparts is also now stocking the brand new Music Hall 25.2 USB and SPDIF DAC, which has tubes and a head amp, for about $600. I'd love to hear some more info and feedback on on how this compares with the Styleaudio DACs sonically. The guys at Head-Fi are just beginning to try this out, with tentatively good early returns.

http://www.cryo-parts.com/music_hall_audio.html

See the New york Audio Rave post under Mini Rave , Princton NJ. We compared it to the Ps Audio

Don't you mean it  kicked the Ps audio's dac's butt  all over the place.

ED

[evan1]

Cryoparts is also now stocking the brand new Music Hall 25.2 USB and SPDIF DAC, which has tubes and a head amp, for about $600. I'd love to hear some more info and feedback on on how this compares with the Styleaudio DACs sonically. The guys at Head-Fi are just beginning to try this out, with tentatively good early returns.

http://www.cryo-parts.com/music_hall_audio.html

See the New york Audio Rave post under Mini Rave , Princton NJ. We compared it to the Ps Audio

Don't you mean it  kicked the Ps audio's dac's butt  all over the place.

ED

I was trying to be nice, but yes that is what I mean

[evan1]

Cryoparts is also now stocking the brand new Music Hall 25.2 USB and SPDIF DAC, which has tubes and a head amp, for about $600. I'd love to hear some more info and feedback on on how this compares with the Styleaudio DACs sonically. The guys at Head-Fi are just beginning to try this out, with tentatively good early returns.

http://www.cryo-parts.com/music_hall_audio.html

See the New york Audio Rave post under Mini Rave , Princton NJ. We compared it to the Ps Audio

Don't you mean it  kicked the Ps audio's dac's butt  all over the place.

ED

I was trying to be nice, but yes that is what I mean

[mbakes]

Meier Audio makes some nice usb dac/amps but may be out of your price range unless you buy used over at Head-Fi.  If you don't mind a mini out for your headphones, the Headamp Pic usb dac/amp (http://www.headamp.com/pico/index.htm) is a portable which has an excellent dac and headphone amp that should easily drive the headphones your are using.  I believe they are around $500 new and hold their value on resale.  I think they sell for $450 to $475 used.  I have the usb dac (no amp) on the way.  I've compared the dac to some more expensive ones and it definitely competes with them.  I look forward to trying out the Emerald at CanJam '09.  Good luck with your search.

[pjchappy]

I'm leaning towards the new Peachtree Audio Nova.  I had planned on getting a new amp down the road.  This device kills 3-birds with one stone. . .USB DAC, headphone amp, integrated.  Should be able to make the purchase in about a month.