I keep hearing a lot here about the ‘cheap Chinese DAC’.
I want to try a few out, see how they stack up against my Toppings D30 and D50, with a view to building a Raspberry Pi Streamer at some point....
Had a quick look online, lots to chose from. Which are the good ones? Anyone got a link?
Toskink and digital coax would be good, not so fussed about USB.
Thanks
Marlin
Which cheap Chinese DAC?
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Which cheap Chinese DAC?
Modded Belles A150 MK2, P90SA, & NVA SSP cables, and LS5.
Leak Stereo 20 & First Audio Classic Copper V2
Modded Lenco GL75 with Saturn arm, heavy custom plinth. Nagaoka MP500.
Nottingham Audio Hyperspace + heavy kit, + Origin Live Conqueror + Koetsu Black
Tom Evans Micro Grove MK2 MC phono
Bluesound Node2i (x2) both with latest power upgrades.
Topping D90MQA and Topping D90SE
Audiolab 6000 CDT transport.
All NVA cables
Leak Stereo 20 & First Audio Classic Copper V2
Modded Lenco GL75 with Saturn arm, heavy custom plinth. Nagaoka MP500.
Nottingham Audio Hyperspace + heavy kit, + Origin Live Conqueror + Koetsu Black
Tom Evans Micro Grove MK2 MC phono
Bluesound Node2i (x2) both with latest power upgrades.
Topping D90MQA and Topping D90SE
Audiolab 6000 CDT transport.
All NVA cables
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
I am in a similar position having recently upgraded to Sky Q. The box does not have phono sockets so I can no longer connect directly to my P90SA. There is an optical output which I have connected to the Mscaler and it sounds rather good on You Tube. The problem is that it will not play anything where the source is the satellite dish. I therefore require a DAC between the Sky Q box and pre amp. The Topping D30 looks very attractive as I would not want anything bigger or costing more.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable
Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ
Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat
RIP Doc
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Lindy cat 6 US ethernet cable
Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ
Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat
RIP Doc
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
For a start DO NOT get one of these.
Cheapy Chinese DAC with remote. Gave up after a week and never worked again. No refund. Useless.
This (or similar) is probably the device you're thinking of:
Very basic DAC, which will work best with a 5V LPSU like this:
A very nice PSU - I have one.
What I use here for running the sound on the TV is a TeraDak V2.7 on a Toslink connection to the TV and outputting to a pair of active computer speakers and an old Sony Subwoofer. Very pleasant-sounding NOS DAC.
Sounds just great fot TV usage.
But, in all honesty, you cannot beat the Topping D30 (even without the optional LPSU) for terrific sound and unbelievably low price.
I have one in my office rig and it is phenomenal, plays everything (including DSD) and has a handy, front-mounted input selector switch (TeraDak have them on the back).
Cheapy Chinese DAC with remote. Gave up after a week and never worked again. No refund. Useless.
This (or similar) is probably the device you're thinking of:
Very basic DAC, which will work best with a 5V LPSU like this:
A very nice PSU - I have one.
What I use here for running the sound on the TV is a TeraDak V2.7 on a Toslink connection to the TV and outputting to a pair of active computer speakers and an old Sony Subwoofer. Very pleasant-sounding NOS DAC.
Sounds just great fot TV usage.
But, in all honesty, you cannot beat the Topping D30 (even without the optional LPSU) for terrific sound and unbelievably low price.
I have one in my office rig and it is phenomenal, plays everything (including DSD) and has a handy, front-mounted input selector switch (TeraDak have them on the back).
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
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
The other way to go is... if you have a spare pair of speakers knocking around at home, - let's be honest, who hasn't? - the SMSL Q5 is a good bet. It's a combination of Amp and DAC and even has separate "out" for a sub. I use mine for computer duties, along with an old pair of Celestion DL4 s2 speakers and a little 8" sub but I know a couple of guys who use the Q5 for their TV sound and are very happy with the quality. You can get one (in black or silver) on Amazon for £118.99 or you should be able to find one for about £100 on eBay.
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
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
Off topic alert.
Slinger, how come you were never seduced by the lure of the NVA cubes ?
Slinger, how come you were never seduced by the lure of the NVA cubes ?
DIY FREE ZONE
- slinger
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
Positioning, pure and simple. My speakers have to be wall-mounted downstairs, and more or less "near-field" upstairs, neither of which would suit the cubes.
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
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
The dac-for-a-fiver has been made in several internal versions I think and I was shocked when I realised mine dated from 2012... Although it looks the same externally, the innards definitely aren't from what limited stuff I've seen! I'm assuming the modern cheap versions may well be better and perfectly ok for red-book standard of replay but nothing greater than this. For USB based decoding these days, it seems the pukka (not the similar looking copy) Topping D10 is just fine, the D30 model adding two extra inputs for still under a ton. Modern dacs seem more supply-immune, so any changes by adding a humongous linear supply may be personal rather than actual these days, if you see what I mean.
I've never tried it, but a good 'Pi streaming system package is the 'PecanPi' I'm told, which does the job in a nicely balanced way. Worth looking up if nothing else.
I've never tried it, but a good 'Pi streaming system package is the 'PecanPi' I'm told, which does the job in a nicely balanced way. Worth looking up if nothing else.
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way...The time has gone, The song is over, Thought I'd something more to say...
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
Dsjr, you are not going to get away with a wholly term like 'modern dacs' on hs. Leave such meaningless abstractions to audio addicts.
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Re: Which cheap Chinese DAC?
The answer to the original question is probably “the cheapest”.
On the Docs advice I spent the princely sum of £5 on a Chinese dac. On it’s own it’s ok I suppose but nothing special. Add a £40 linear psu and the little box is transformed into something quite nice. It gives my Teddy Pardo dac some serious competition and I suspect that if I was using a smaller NVA power amp than the TSS I would be struggling to hear the difference.
The nearest I can get to an analogy is comparing an A20 with the TSS which are the only NVA amps I have listened to over a sustained period of time.
The dac and psu are currently sitting in a cupboard pending a possible second system at some point in the future.
If anybody wants to listen to these items then I’m happy to send them out on loan. I think I can trust the HFS massive on this one
Please pm me if you are interested.
On the Docs advice I spent the princely sum of £5 on a Chinese dac. On it’s own it’s ok I suppose but nothing special. Add a £40 linear psu and the little box is transformed into something quite nice. It gives my Teddy Pardo dac some serious competition and I suspect that if I was using a smaller NVA power amp than the TSS I would be struggling to hear the difference.
The nearest I can get to an analogy is comparing an A20 with the TSS which are the only NVA amps I have listened to over a sustained period of time.
The dac and psu are currently sitting in a cupboard pending a possible second system at some point in the future.
If anybody wants to listen to these items then I’m happy to send them out on loan. I think I can trust the HFS massive on this one
Please pm me if you are interested.