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Battery powered DAC?

Darmok

Darmok

pfm Member
Is there such a device
in existance?

Powered by a PP3 or
two of em?

Optical input required.

I have an application
that requires a tiny
DAC that is to live
in a limited space in
a bedroom.

Any information would
be welcome!!

TIA

If this topic has been
discussed before, my
apologies.
 
I have heard good things in the past from people who have used MiniDisc players' DAC sections in their main rigs.

A portable MD player of the 'bay would only cost peanuts, it would obviously be battery powered as well. I'm afraid I haven't tried it though.
 
Thanks for the IP
Alan.

I am looking for a
very high quality
DAC to drive a
Stax electrostatic
headphone rig.
 
ibasso do a portable DAC that is battery powered - but you need to plug it in to recharge.

Can't remember the specs or I/O, but a quick google should find it.
 
No, I am looking for
a stand alone DAC.

Optical I/P, Line Out.

I don't need the amp
built in to drive those
normal type H/Phones.

Thanks for helping JR.

;)
 
agentsmith said:
dACK! is a sweet sounding DAC that has been around for a few years. Not sure their latest status but I used to like them a lot, very warm sounding, runs on battery, and priced very reasonably

http://www.ack-industries.com/
Click to expand...

I have one of those (a rev 2). Very nice sound to my ears but I think the OP was thinking of something rather more compact maybe? The dAck! is a regular sized component. Good piece of kit, mind.
 
johnfromnorwich said:
I have one of those (a rev 2). Very nice sound to my ears but I think the OP was thinking of something rather more compact maybe? The dAck! is a regular sized component. Good piece of kit, mind.
Click to expand...

Yes.

Does anyone have any
knowledge of this tiny
device...

41PW%2BGE9nbL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003WFPXZ2/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

5 volts external supply,
I could easily knock up
a rechargable battery
block and charger.

Very good sound is the
goal I wish to achieve.

One interesting thing
I found out is that ppl
have had some lip sync
problems with some of
their home theatre rigs?

The little device Amazon
sells corrects it.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
if you don't mind a car battery
you have altmann attraction DAC
one of the best sounding digital devices in this sport.
 
Most DACs work on a 12V DC supply so it is possible to knock something up from a battery pack coupled to a lead with the appropriate terminator.

However, DACs seem to demand a hell of a lot of peak power so the battery pack needs to be as substantial as you can make it. And then it won't last long so rechargeable batteries are a must.

I tried this with a Flying Calf DAC but I gave up and plugged in the supplied wall wart when I realised what a faff batteries were going to be.
 
Apparently the Musical fidelity V DAC can run off of a 12V battery(sealed lead acid would work fine, no need for a car battery) and the Apogee Mini DAC can as well.

The battery thing seems to be more popular with phono stages these days...
 
I've tried an Ack!DAC for a while but made me nuts cuz, it could not run all day long on a battery albeit this was a proto type so the current one might be okey.
 
However, DACs seem to demand a hell of a lot of peak power
Click to expand...


I can't imagine why they would, unless one was broken or horribly designed. Line level voltages and amperages are tiny. But just to make sure I attached my Kill-A-Watt meter to my Lavry DAC. It pulls exactly 7.1 watts whether or not there is a signal, and regardless of the signal strength.

if you don't mind a car battery
you have altmann attraction DAC
Click to expand...

This is so crazy I googled it, and sure enough:

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/attraction.htm

"The Attraction DAC is designed to be powered by a single 12V car- or motorcylce battery, as battery power is pure, and a prerequisite for precision DA conversion. Power consumption is 200mA. "

A car or motorcycle battery is about the worst possible choice for this application. Not only is there the outgassing danger that Darmok mentioned, but starter batteries are designed to punch out hundreds of amps for brief periods, not be steadily drawn down at 200mA over and over.

Some of these 'audiophile' manufacturers really crack me up.

Surely a sealed lead acid or AGM deep-cycle battery is the sensible choice for a stereo application. Just combine it with a decent three-stage AC charger and you'll be good to go for a very long time.
 
Well, if you're concerned about car batteries of the standard type, us one which can't possibly leak, then. I've used the Altmann DAC for several years with a gel battery. Some people run this DAC on a Paul Hynes power supply instead, which is supposed to sound slightly better.
 
I've used the Altmann DAC for several years with a gel battery.
Click to expand...

Your gel battery is probably a deep-cycle type, or if it's a starter type, then the draw of the DAC is so low that the battery is not seeing any significant depth-of-discharge (and is therefore much larger than needed, in terms of amp hour capacity, for this application).

If you draw a starter battery down repeatedly, say to 50% depth-of-discharge, before recharging it, you'll be lucky to get more than 100 cycles before it is dead. By contrast, a deep-cycle battery can last thousands of cycles at 50% DoD. So even if you avoid safety problems by avoiding flooded starter batteries, they are still the wrong type.
 
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