DAC to the Future
- Fretless
- Posts: 9328
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
- Location: Somewhere in Holland
- Has thanked: 1514 times
- Been thanked: 2310 times
Re: DAC to the Future
Fun thing on AliExpress is that you can 'win' discount coupons (valid for a short time). I managed to get an extra 5 dollars off my DAC and that plus the free shipping has kept the price down to 94 Euros.
Now to hope that the thing works on arrival.
Now to hope that the thing works on arrival.
Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
- George Hincapie
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 7:46 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire, England
- Has thanked: 252 times
- Been thanked: 176 times
Re: DAC to the Future
AliExpress is excellent. I get a lot of my fishing lures from there
Headphone Amplification
Linear Tube Audio MZ3
Headphones
HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)
Digital
Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0
Cables
Forza Audio Works • Blue Jeans • DH Labs • Periapt
Power
Farad • Tomanek
Sources
Roon • Tidal • Qobuz
Linear Tube Audio MZ3
Headphones
HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)
Digital
Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0
Cables
Forza Audio Works • Blue Jeans • DH Labs • Periapt
Power
Farad • Tomanek
Sources
Roon • Tidal • Qobuz
-
- Posts: 1015
- Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:16 am
- Location: Grimsby/Phnom Penh
- Has thanked: 1476 times
- Been thanked: 418 times
- slinger
- Posts: 9276
- Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:30 pm
- Location: The Garden of England
- Has thanked: 4643 times
- Been thanked: 3153 times
Re: DAC to the Future
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
- Fretless
- Posts: 9328
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
- Location: Somewhere in Holland
- Has thanked: 1514 times
- Been thanked: 2310 times
Re: DAC to the Future
Seen that too, Slinger. Was comparing it to the Topping D50, although that needs an external PSU.
Breeze / Weiliang have something similar as well.
Breeze / Weiliang have something similar as well.
Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
- George Hincapie
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 7:46 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire, England
- Has thanked: 252 times
- Been thanked: 176 times
Re: DAC to the Future
Which DAC is that with the twin toroidal supplies?
*edit* I missed the link, sorry. So dual AK chips? Looks nice for the money.
*edit* I missed the link, sorry. So dual AK chips? Looks nice for the money.
Headphone Amplification
Linear Tube Audio MZ3
Headphones
HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)
Digital
Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0
Cables
Forza Audio Works • Blue Jeans • DH Labs • Periapt
Power
Farad • Tomanek
Sources
Roon • Tidal • Qobuz
Linear Tube Audio MZ3
Headphones
HifiMan Sundara • HiFiMan Arya Stealth Edition • ZMF Vérité Closed Ltd (Stabilised) • ZMF Atrium Open Ltd (Hawaiian Koa) • ZMF Aeolus Ltd (Mexican Bocote)
Digital
Audial S5 • Pi2AES 2.0
Cables
Forza Audio Works • Blue Jeans • DH Labs • Periapt
Power
Farad • Tomanek
Sources
Roon • Tidal • Qobuz
- slinger
- Posts: 9276
- Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:30 pm
- Location: The Garden of England
- Has thanked: 4643 times
- Been thanked: 3153 times
Re: DAC to the Future
If you look closely at that pic the case is actually marked "Weiliang".
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
- Fretless
- Posts: 9328
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
- Location: Somewhere in Holland
- Has thanked: 1514 times
- Been thanked: 2310 times
Re: DAC to the Future
Going blind.
Upstairs:
VinylPro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a {x2)
Little Bear MC2 + AQ NightHawk
Downstairs:
VinylLogic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 & PSU - BMUAiyima A07 MAX + Arcam One
HP: Allo DigiOne + Sabaj A10d + AQ NightOwl
Office: Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith 887 + German Maestro GMP 450
-
- Posts: 1015
- Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 8:16 am
- Location: Grimsby/Phnom Penh
- Has thanked: 1476 times
- Been thanked: 418 times
- slinger
- Posts: 9276
- Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:30 pm
- Location: The Garden of England
- Has thanked: 4643 times
- Been thanked: 3153 times
Re: DAC to the Future
The Topping or the SMSL was pretty much it until I looked at AliExpress. The SMSL M-8 and the Topping D50 both use dual ES9038Q2M chips, which is the "cut-down" version of the ES9038 PRO. Stepping up to the Pro version makes for more expensive options, plus I rather fancy trying out the AK4497. It's supposed to be easier to implement than the ES9038, which means that the manufacturer should be able to get a decent sound with less hassle. Were it a straight shoot-out between the two "names" though I'd have plumped for the SMSL as I've had a lot of their stuff and it's never let me down, whereas the one Topping amp I tried out I didn't like at all.
But... it's much more exciting buying blind, isn't it?
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X