USB DAC kit for beginner

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Leroynz

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Joined 2016
Hi/kia ora from New Zealand,
I’m a newbie to the diyaudio movement and would appreciated some advice.
From reading as much as I can via the forum I’m (maybe misguidely) under the impression that the internal DAC in a work laptop is not much chop and I would be better to get an external usb DAC to connect to the USB port of the laptop.
Currently I’m streaming spotify or pandora which will more than likely be my audio source for the present and not to distant future & listening via the headphone jack.
I’ve found a USB DAC kit by Twisted Pear Audio. I seems like a quality beginner kit.
http://twistedpearaudio.com/digital/usb.aspx
It is mostly assembled and I’m willing to give it a go even with no experience.
If I purchased this I think I would need the following to complete it:
  • box/case
  • female headphone jack
  • wire
  • solder/deflux stuff
Does this seem correct.
Regards
Leroy
 
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gazzagazza

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Joined 2004
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nigelwright7557

nigelwright7557

Member
Joined 2008
murtonpikesystems.co.uk
gazzagazza said:
Come on Nigel you're selling him short. That is a PCM2704 based device. USB 1.0, technology perhaps a decade old. I'd be surprised if it improved on what he has on his laptop. No point in moving up if you're not moving up.
Click to expand...

That's what I use and it sounds great.
I play it into a 300 watt folded horn speaker and its loud enough for a living room.

Paying more doesn't always mean you get something better.

I use a similar priced pcb version in my valve audio mixer and it sounds really good.
 
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gazzagazza

Member
Joined 2004
nigelwright7557 said:
That's what I use and it sounds great.
I play it into a 300 watt folded horn speaker and its loud enough for a living room.

Paying more doesn't always mean you get something better.

I use a similar priced pcb version in my valve audio mixer and it sounds really good.
Click to expand...

"Loud enough" is not a measure of sonic quality. Nor is dirt cheap a parameter that should be sought if you are serious. The OP came here to better his enjoyment of music. A quick look at the DAC projects on DIYaudio will show the favoured chipsets and modules. The 270X series don't feature at all.
 
nigelwright7557

nigelwright7557

Member
Joined 2008
murtonpikesystems.co.uk
gazzagazza said:
"Loud enough" is not a measure of sonic quality. Nor is dirt cheap a parameter that should be sought if you are serious. The OP came here to better his enjoyment of music. A quick look at the DAC projects on DIYaudio will show the favoured chipsets and modules. The 270X series don't feature at all.
Click to expand...

What ever chipset you use it is simply converting numbers to analogue values.
I have listened to more expensive chipsets and cant tell the difference.
Maybe its just my 60 year old ears that cant tell the difference?
 
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gazzagazza

Member
Joined 2004
nigelwright7557 said:
Some of the "better" chipsets use more than one IC and are quite complicated to build.
For a beginner I would have recommended a single IC solution.
Walk before you learn to run.
All the solutions are SMD which are hard to work with.
I looked for a PDIP version for my own pcb layout but couldn't find one.
Click to expand...

The links I provided were fully built at the same cost as some of the diy options. And the supplier I linked to has a track record producing well designed products.
 
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Leroynz

Member
Joined 2016
gazzagazza said:
Come on Nigel you're selling him short. That is a PCM2704 based device. USB 1.0, technology perhaps a decade old. I'd be surprised if it improved on what he has on his laptop. No point in moving up if you're not moving up.

Same for the twisted Pear module. Very old technology and not worth the asking price.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gazza. I think I'll get one of the hifime products from the link in you other post. I would also like to try a kit as well.

Would a grub dac be beginner friendly? Is the grub dac technology too old or maybe can the chip be upgrade to newer ones.

Cheers
 
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gazzagazza

Member
Joined 2004
Leroynz said:
Thanks Gazza. I think I'll get one of the hifime products from the link in you other post. I would also like to try a kit as well.

Would a grub dac be beginner friendly? Is the grub dac technology too old or maybe can the chip be upgrade to newer ones.

Cheers
Click to expand...
Sorry, can you explain what you are referring to as a grub dac?

Sent from my x600 using Tapatalk
 
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rredline

Member
Joined 2004
IMHO, if you want to upgrade your laptop‘s sound, the PCM2704 or ES9023-based DAC won't be a good choice. These are budget ICs, with sound compromise, and aims to lower the overall product cost.

Select a low cost DAC with good selection of ICs inside would do the trick. For instance, XMOS+ES9018K2M+Full Op amp Analog Stage is a nice combination.

S.M.S.L M8: reach up to 32 bit/384 kHz and DSD64/128 with this compact, yet refined, DAC!

DAC output should drive 32ohm headphone fine.
 
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