DAC to the Future

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slinger
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by slinger »

DAC ordered. Now to watch it travel all over China looking for an airport. :lol:
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

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

My Topping is 'somewhere in transit' which could mean Mongolia or Australia.

Certainly curious about how that unit with the PRO chipset sounds, Slinger.

Patience. Patience.

Upstairs:
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NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
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Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by slinger »

Don't worry, I've used AliExpress a few times before now. I actually noted all of their tracking info last time and laid it all out in one long list. The best bit was watching it travel from the airport... to the airport... twice as I remember. :lol:
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

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by slinger »

I've been on the blower this afternoon chatting up David Attenborough. He ended up turning me down flat though. Which is a shame because I thought that him narrating the story of how my DAC travels half-way around China in search of an airport and then spends a week travelling around that same airport in search of an aeroplane would be a ✨brilliant bit of telly✨.

"Migration Of The DAC" is, apparently, a non-starter though. I wonder if Channel 5 would be interested..?
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

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

Image

Something to put on your Xmas list. The all-new Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt. Micro-sized USB DAC and headphone amp. Better chips, improved design (higher price). Plays everything from MP3 to MQA.

https://www.audioquest.com/dacs/dragonf ... fly-cobalt

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by CN211276 »

Fretless wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:21 am Image

Something to put on your Xmas list. The all-new Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt. Micro-sized USB DAC and headphone amp. Better chips, improved design (higher price). Plays everything from MP3 to MQA.

https://www.audioquest.com/dacs/dragonf ... fly-cobalt
Have been reading quite a bit about it but I am not convinced that it would be a big enough improvement over my Dragonfly Red to justify the extra cost. All the more so as it would be used out and about in often noisy environments. I use the Chord Mojo at home and in the garden.
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DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

I'll be sticking to the Dragonfly Red for mobile use as well. Certainly good enough.

On another note - The Topping D30 appeared yesterday in the post. Neatly wrapped and in its own 'proper' box - unlike the other nameless devices I have had from AliExpress recently which were simply enshrouded in layers of bubble-wrap.

It's tiny! I hadn't realised how small it was from the photos but it's only a tad bigger than a cigarette packet - you can see it here (just found this image). Certainly looks and feels solidly built.

Image

Comes with a little wall-wart PSU and a USB cable. there is a neat on/off switch next to a 3-way selector (opt/coax/USB) and 2 discrete LEDs (not the huge spotlight variety, thank goodness!).

Hooking up and switching on there was a noticeable earth-hum until I started playing music - then there was an audible internal click as the input channel was selected and after that the background noise disappeared.

Soundwise: on a single listen there is tons of fine detail with a wide, full image and a solid extended bass. It is a cold-start so the top end is somewhat clinical and forward - but I have read that these start to sound a lot smoother after a burn-in period.

First impressions of this DAC are extremely positive - at least it works! And I look forward to having some fun with it in the near future.
:dance: :dance: :dance:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by karatestu »

Cool. I love a bargain. If your judgement ends up favourable i may end up with a Topping. I like detail but not in a treble in your face way. If its on the recording i want to hear it. The trick is getting the music to be non fatiguing at the same time. Doc was a genius at that.
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by _D_S_J_R_ »

I've been suggesting these for ages and when my aged thingie finally packs it in, Topping have been on my list . They also seem 'clean' at ultra-sonics too, so won't react hopefully with NVA.

According to proper tests, the Dragonfly Cobalt is far less good than the red version and looks to be more of a money grabber (latest and more expensive) than any real step forward.
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Classicrock »

Fretless wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:03 am I'll be sticking to the Dragonfly Red for mobile use as well. Certainly good enough.

On another note - The Topping D30 appeared yesterday in the post. Neatly wrapped and in its own 'proper' box - unlike the other nameless devices I have had from AliExpress recently which were simply enshrouded in layers of bubble-wrap.

It's tiny! I hadn't realised how small it was from the photos but it's only a tad bigger than a cigarette packet - you can see it here (just found this image). Certainly looks and feels solidly built.

Image

Comes with a little wall-wart PSU and a USB cable. there is a neat on/off switch next to a 3-way selector (opt/coax/USB) and 2 discrete LEDs (not the huge spotlight variety, thank goodness!).

Hooking up and switching on there was a noticeable earth-hum until I started playing music - then there was an audible internal click as the input channel was selected and after that the background noise disappeared.

Soundwise: on a single listen there is tons of fine detail with a wide, full image and a solid extended bass. It is a cold-start so the top end is somewhat clinical and forward - but I have read that these start to sound a lot smoother after a burn-in period.

First impressions of this DAC are extremely positive - at least it works! And I look forward to having some fun with it in the near future.
:dance: :dance: :dance:
Is this DAC connected with NVA cable by any chance? That hum until switched on issue may have something in common with the SSP issue I reported (both with Beresford DAC and MF phono).
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