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Post by southpaw on Jul 14, 2011 16:25:20 GMT
I'm planning on using an old laptop as a hifi pc and I've been reading up and looking for a usb dac.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I was hoping to spend £50ish to have a play but think I'll ultimately end up with something bigger.
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Post by JohnnyBlue on Jul 14, 2011 16:59:22 GMT
I'm planning on using an old laptop as a hifi pc and I've been reading up and looking for a usb dac. Does anyone have any recommendations? I was hoping to spend £50ish to have a play but think I'll ultimately end up with something bigger. I had a very similar question a while back, which I posted here (in the wrong forum!), but the answers were (and still are) very helpful. Subsequently, I've gone for an Aune Mini USB DAC, which is great running off my Dell PC, but is pricier than your target; I'm thinking of getting a Behringer UCA202 for a second system, which is just for background music from a laptop, but this is around half your target price! Others will be along shortly with more suitable suggestions... |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2011 18:03:17 GMT
Hi, I'm a very happy user of a Beresford DAC - you could do worse than take a look at the top 3 items on this page: - www.homehifi.co.uk/products/products.htmlLoads of simple DIY (op-amp rolling) upgrade/options if that aspect is of any interest. If you have any (non-technical) questions feel free to PM me. No connection other than as happy customer  . Dave. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2011 18:49:54 GMT
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Post by southpaw on Jul 14, 2011 22:46:30 GMT
Cheers guys - some good stuff to start reading.
Javier I think your link will save me asking lots of questions.
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XTRProf
Fully Modded
Pssst ! Got any spare capacitors ?
Posts: 5,689
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Post by XTRProf on Jul 15, 2011 2:45:43 GMT
Since there will be more and more releases in hirez music files, it will be a good consideration as well to be able to do 192khz/24bits at least for dacs. USB dacs very few can do that now. Maybe a better option is to go for a Hifi dac able to do 192khz/24bits (and there are plenty nowadays) and get a usb interface that can do asynchronous SPDIF 192khz/24bits output to the Hifi dac. If you are just into mp3, any usb dac will do.  |
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mrarroyo
Been here a while! 
Our man in Miami!
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Post by mrarroyo on Jul 15, 2011 10:37:01 GMT
If your source is a laptop you will most likely use it while you travel. If so then a portable DAC/Amp may be in order, I have and like the iBasso and the Leckerton units. Both work well, however iBasso has more models to cover various needs.
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Post by southpaw on Jul 15, 2011 20:47:39 GMT
Been reading non stop for 2 evenings now and just keep thinking I'm going to need more stuff  To get me going with some I think its going to be something cheap Aune mini mini dac or even cheaper and add to the laptop. Once I've got something working I can start thinking about building a dedicated pc for this |
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mrarroyo
Been here a while!
Our man in Miami!
Posts: 1,003
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Post by mrarroyo on Jul 16, 2011 12:09:54 GMT
The iBasso D2+Boa retails for $169, it would allow you go be portable w/ your laptop. The Aune looks very nice and it can be purchased for also about $150 in eBay.
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Post by southpaw on Jul 17, 2011 12:56:16 GMT
Think I'm going for a musiland usd 01. It should let me have a play with higher sample rates.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 17, 2011 22:23:56 GMT
A secondhand Cambridge Audio DacMagic....you will NOT be disappointed  More "options" than a man in a multi storey brothel and stable in operation. |
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Post by JohnnyBlue on Jul 18, 2011 13:56:39 GMT
A secondhand Cambridge Audio DacMagic....you will NOT be disappointed More "options" than a man in a multi storey brothel and stable in operation. Goodness, that IS a lot of options. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2011 18:39:57 GMT
Think I'm going for a musiland usd 01. It should let me have a play with higher sample rates. I can highly recommend the musi 02 external sound card, cracking little device, easy to use and sounds fantastic, and for the price a real bargain IMO. Mick. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2011 19:46:06 GMT
Think I'm going for a musiland usd 01. It should let me have a play with higher sample rates. I can highly recommend the musi 02 external sound card, cracking little device, easy to use and sounds fantastic, and for the price a real bargain IMO. Mick. +1 or if funds allow I'll look for a truly async audio class 2 device like the ILTW or the new TEAC. |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 18, 2011 21:37:17 GMT
I can highly recommend the musi 02 external sound card, cracking little device, easy to use and sounds fantastic, and for the price a real bargain IMO. Mick. +1 or if funds allow I'll look for a truly async audio class 2 device like the ILTW or the new TEAC. That Teac looks good - I'll have to read about async and what else it could do. Musi 02 looks better value as the same unit can do usb dac / usb to spdif. Times like this makes me wish I'd never sold my MF dac  |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 18, 2011 21:39:35 GMT
Also last night I copied some cds to wav files and was suprised with the results just on a line out. This pc audio lark definately appears to have legs |
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XTRProf
Fully Modded
Pssst ! Got any spare capacitors ?
Posts: 5,689
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Post by XTRProf on Jul 20, 2011 12:14:32 GMT
You sold that away? That's a Stereophile class A dac at one time, if I'm not wrong. Really, a mistake. It should sound better than an unmodded X-dac V3, |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 29, 2011 18:17:34 GMT
I was all sold on the Teac but have just thought of the Musical Fidelity M1. Does anyone have any thoughts on the M1? I know it is limited on usb input to 48khz , but upto 192khz on spdif which I'm assuming you could use via a usb-spdif.
Off to the shop tomorrow to see what I can find.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 29, 2011 22:00:39 GMT
I hope you come home with a DacMagic  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 29, 2011 22:04:40 GMT
Don't be brainwashed by the shiny exterior |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 29, 2011 22:06:35 GMT
All that glitters is NOT "gold" and you cannot polish a TURD Of course, YMMV. Mike. |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 29, 2011 22:49:53 GMT
I've just seen a picture of the inside of the M1 dac - bit empty in there  I'm not sure exactly which turd you are referring to? but rest assured any turd purchased will be on the grounds of it being a reasonably priced turd |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 31, 2011 19:24:15 GMT
 Borrowed a dac yesterday and picked up a couple of spare speakers this morning Still trying to decide my opinion on the dac. |
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Post by southpaw on Jul 31, 2011 22:07:21 GMT
Well after listening again this evening I think the dac is going on the shopping list Wav files from laptop into Arcam Rdac on usb sounded very good compared with Cd17ki and I can live with the difference for the ease of playing tracks. |
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Post by southpaw on Aug 9, 2011 22:30:34 GMT
Plumped for the Arcam rDac in the end |
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To get me going with some 
More "options" than a man in a multi storey brothel and stable in operation.
