advertisement


DAC needed...bang for buck

cj66

cj66

pfm Member
It's looking like my DAC may be beyond repair due to abundant water damage while on! I rebuilt all the power supplies but the main digital board, a DIY, heavily modded on another forum group effort, looks to be toast with multiple unavailable components (old build project).

Connection requirements are sp/dif in x1, USB in x1 and optical in x2.
It doesn't need to be the latest, highest sampling doodah but I was used to good sound quality from mine e.g. it noticeably out performed the DAC in my Meridian 506.24.
I've looked at many that either don't have all the inputs I require or are silly prices.

If anyone is thinking of offering their used unit be advised I'm in Thailand.

So any thoughts folks?
(Budget at the cheap end, hopefully.)
 
First thought is that one of these would simplify the search
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
That's a good thought as a back up plan.

Units I've uncovered since my OP are the SMSL 500MKII, available here for approx. £350, I think it's too new for 2nd hand.
The Marantz DAC 1 if I can find a 2nd hand bargain.
The CA Dacmagic in some form, which I'd forgotten about ...but is it up to the job sonically?
 
cj66 said:
That's a good thought as a back up plan.

Units I've uncovered since my OP are the SMSL 500MKII, available here for approx. £350, I think it's too new for 2nd hand.
The Marantz DAC 1 if I can find a 2nd hand bargain.
The CA Dacmagic in some form, which I'd forgotten about ...but is it up to the job sonically?
Click to expand...
Dac magic azur should be fine
 
The dac magic + will give you a more refined sound than the standard dac magic.
Both have quite a heavy mid bass.
Chord with give you a much more open midrange and more air.
The streammagic 6 is better than both the other CA dac offerings due to its power supply.
 
Thanks for the responses thus far.

The SMSL M500ii certainly gets a rave review there! Plus the reviewer is picking the same preferences as I do so very helpful.

Reading around a bit it seems a common upgrade to go from a Dacmagic model to a Topping E50. That's the DM off the list then. Why? I have heard the E50 in a friends system compared to my DAC, when it still lived, the result being the E50, sonically, had it's pants pulled down around its ankles. File handling was far superior though, something my friend required.
Chord is too far up the price scale for me as is the Streammagic 6 V1/V2.
 
Mojo sounds lovely, it works as a desktop DAC when plugged into the wall, you can set it to a fixed output and use it as a a conventional DAC, or you can use it like I do as a DAC/Pre. Works really well, and has stood up to some very good other DACs. I much prefer it to the Rega DAC, of course though, YMMV!
 
I run mine as a stand alone dac but utilise the volume control to match my pre & power (around 1 V output) no degradation to sound that I can hear & full volume control of the pre amp.
Wonderful thing imho.
 
Audio Gd might be available over there as much as here being Chinese made.

Before Keith says, measures bad (bottom of ASR rankings!!) but I like them (non Sabre ones anyway, YMMV).
 
I heard an Audio GD quite some years ago, a twin Wolfson chip jobby, with headphone amp IIRC.
It did sound very good on the day but there was nothing of equal cost to compare to so very much an isolated experience. Not cheap these days are they! As already said, they do get a proper slagging in general...
 
I rather get the impression the dacmagic and the Topping are quite different animals. And we all know difference can easily be confused with better. I wouldn't be so hasty in dismissing the dacmagic. The older ones (never heard the newer models) have a nice analogue sound to them that modern dac chips like the one in the Topping seem to have moved away from. So another possibility here is that the appeal of the difference might depend on the age of the ears listening to it.
 
messengerman said:
I rather get the impression the dacmagic and the Topping are quite different animals. And we all know difference can easily be confused with better. I wouldn't be so hasty in dismissing the dacmagic. The older ones (never heard the newer models) have a nice analogue sound to them that modern dac chips like the one in the Topping seem to have moved away from. So another possibility here is that the appeal of the difference might depend on the age of ears listening to it.
Click to expand...
Had several DACs over lockdown including the Dac Magic and Topping D90SE plus many of the ASR darlings and ones often mentioned in threads, fwiw the Dac Magic is still here the D90 sold on. You like what you like and it's only a hobby/pastime. I'd have Rega, RME and Matrix DACs again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top