What does everyone want in a DAC?

Trismos · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 04:38 am »

I hate to rain on everyone's parade here but it would seem to be a poor business decision to get into the DAC market at the moment. There is a veritable glut of quality product out there at VERY good price points. Be it the Schiit BiFrost, the CEntrance DACmini, or any number of other dacs, there are people out there who are much more than expert in this area.

Virtue is a brand name and it might be able to sell dacs based on that. But that's not what Seth built his company on.

Actually the one thing that was said that I agree with was to build a dac based upon the Melisa platform. I have a Grant Fidelity DAC-09 at the moment and it looks pretty darn good on my M-901. But I'm in upgrade mode so I've ordered a CEntrance DACmini ... and paid an additional $199 just to get it in black to help go with my amp. Unfortunately the thing is only 6 and a bit inches wide and not even 2 high. I'm thinking it's going to look odd in place of the DAC-09 but we'll see.

Regards
Dave

Bear · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 05:09 am »

six channels for dsd/sacd/dvd-a files and HT/Mac mini media center use volume control is good.....to use as a limiter with pure music player and the like to prevent castrophic fat finger or software glitch volume incidents. hdmi/thunderbolt input? first of its kind?

Rclark · « **Reply #22 on:** 29 Dec 2011, 08:24 pm »

Despite there being a "glut" of dacs out there (and I've had several people tell me the Bifrost is nothing special, good for its price range, but nothing to write home about) a battery powered high performance Virtue Dac would stand out from the crowd like a beacon.

virtue · « **Reply #23 on:** 29 Dec 2011, 11:42 pm »

I do think that ours will smoke and you'll understand why we made it after you listen to it.

And god bless capitalism for making sure that opportunities to make money collapse quickly and competitive differentiation is increasingly difficult.

In some industries, that's still the American way. Bring it on.

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #24 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 02:25 am »

Trismos · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:11 am »

Quote from: virtue on 29 Dec 2011, 11:42 pm

I do think that ours will smoke and you'll understand why we made it after you listen to it.

And god bless capitalism for making sure that opportunities to make money collapse quickly and competitive differentiation is increasingly difficult.

In some industries, that's still the American way. Bring it on.

Despite my comment, I'm cheering for you. It's hard not to.

rpf · « **Reply #26 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:24 am »

I'm in the market for a DAC and would prefer a US built one with these features:

Asynchronous (preferably without drivers) USB input, 24/96 minimum.
Tube output stage (no additional SS output to complicate things).
RCA outs.

Nice and simple.

Trismos · « **Reply #27 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:31 am »

Asynch isn't the be all - end all. It's the design of the package as a whole that determines how well a given implementation will work. For a good argument in this regard: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/centrance/1.html

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #28 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 04:08 am »

Balanced outputs, gain control, and a medical isolation transformer.

Rclark · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 04:18 am »

Leave out the volume control, dac only please. Keep it pure.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #30 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 06:12 am »

A gain control makes a preamp unnecessary. Moreover, if you are purest, you wouldn't want a preamp!

Rclark · « **Reply #31 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 07:11 am »

I just don't want it to interfere with my lovely LDR. I just want that pure Virtue goodness going into my Warp, then on to more Virtue goodness. Volume is covered.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #32 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 08:42 am »

What's LDR?

I recently acquired some active studio monitors and I will never go back to passive hi fi audiophile speakers, stats or planners. The +/- 3 db status quo is unacceptable! No matter what the amp! I have an inexpensive Beresford DAC, which has a gain control, line out straight into the monitors. No preamp, speaker cables, crossovers to muck things up - and no wonky frequency response. The results from this sort of thing is quite different. And I like - a lot!

Elizabeth · « **Reply #33 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 01:39 pm »

My only comment is for the inputs: allow them to be modular.
Three in, three separate modules.
So a person can have the ones they want, or even just one to save money. (but the spaces in place for future use)
Have ONE of the spaces deeper for the complete USB section.
So it can be upgraded or whatever.
Then options of toslink, AES-EBU, RCA, others.. available for the other portals. Plug in. easy, user can unplug/plug in.
And one module avilable for converting 5.1 video codec to 2 channel so it can be converted by DAC.

Anyway.. this is what i would be wanting in a DAC.
(actually i want like FIVE toslink inputs, plus two AES-EBU in.. but i am crazy...)

ted_b · « **Reply #34 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:02 pm »

In addition you may want to make sure your USB implementation is USB Class 2 audio compliant. This allows for the growing Linux server compatibility, driverless in the MAC world, and easy Windows install too. And finally, on top of everyone else's comments...native DSD capability (via dCS's clever open USB protocol and/or ASIO if Windows).

rollo · « **Reply #35 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:22 pm »

A DAC only no pre or volume control. Non upsampling 24/96. KISS. No analog board. Transfomer coupled from the analog out of the DA conversion. Using the preamps analog board instead.
An invert polarity switch. Two inputs, two outputs, a grounded shielded case, a 75 ohm pulse transformer on the digital input. IEC outlet. Quality internal wiring and Silver coated copper RCAs [ Audionote or Vampire] .Last but not least a killer separate power supply.
All for under $2000.

charles

charles

eclein · « **Reply #36 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 03:48 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 30 Dec 2011, 03:02 pm

In addition you may want to make sure your USB implementation is USB Class 2 audio compliant. This allows for the growing Linux server compatibility, driverless in the MAC world, and easy Windows install too. And finally, on top of everyone else's comments...native DSD capability (via dCS's clever open USB protocol and/or ASIO if Windows).

Important stuff these days....+1

virtue · « **Reply #37 on:** 31 Dec 2011, 12:16 am »

Guys,

If we finish strong it will have most of what everyone wants.

Battery powerable.
USB 192 compatible, driverless on MAC.
Transformers, yes.
Digital stays digital (volume control exists but doesn't matter).
Analog stays analog.
2 x TOSLINK.
1 (or 2) x COAX.
Remote control.
Great headphone with hi/low outputs.
Small form factor.
No tubes.

We're looking at a best-case scenario of 3-4 months. The PROS have been working on this (no pennies spared).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Seth

Trismos · « **Reply #38 on:** 31 Dec 2011, 12:35 am »

Aw crap.

I always wondered how the heck someone ends up with two and three dacs....

So what's this one going to cost me Seth? (The 'sucking up to the wife' figure will cost me proportionately to the cost of this dac also, which I'll of course have to have).

Regards
Dave

virtue · « **Reply #39 on:** 31 Dec 2011, 12:44 am »

Won't cost more than $1,000 and much less on pre-order. Virtue is still a charity

Love you brother!!!!