Budged DAC ( Usb or otherwise )

Roland1001 · 17th September 2010, 08:52 PM

Hello , i am searching for a good DAC for future hi-fi setup. I will be using a PC as a digital source -> DAC -> LM3886 diy chipamp -> Fullrange horns

I am currently looking at : Musiland monitor 2 US and HRT music streamer II. From what i have read , the musicstreamer is better but if i understand correctly i would also need a pre-amp to use it , and that is too much for me atm. If anyone has better ideas/suggestions on other USB DACs+Preamps i would really appreciated. Also please check that i am right on needing a pre-amp , if not , i would go for the musicstramer.
Price range is 100-200$ , maybe a really tiny bit higher.

Roland.

nightanole · 19th September 2010, 12:46 AM

What do you mean by "needs a pre amp"? Both have opamp buffered out puts. Both need "A" volume control. Both are to a point, the same. Its just down to which dac chip you like.

nightanole · 19th September 2010, 01:46 AM

After looking at both, they both use the same dac chip, and the monitor 01 us is basicaly the same as the music streamer II (usb powered).

Roland1001 · 19th September 2010, 04:08 PM

Yes but the monitor has a volume control and the music streamer II doesn't. I thought that meant one had some kind of amp and the other not. I don't have a complete understanding of audio.. yet , i hope

.

nightanole · 19th September 2010, 05:07 PM

Um can you send me a link? Ive looked at the innards of both units via searches. I cant find a monitor 2 US with a volume control on the front. All the ones i see have rca out and 2 headphone outs, thats it. No volume control.

personally id go with music streamer II. It requires no special drivers, and can do 24 bit/96khz (the limit of driverless usb). Also you speak with humans. Go head and try it, they answer my questions even on Saturday. Also i like the layout of the streamer II more, not much to clutter the signal. The monitor has several bandaids and custom drivers + firmware updates to get the 24bit 192khz usb 2.0 spec. The just made a mini pc with a programable gate array chip that actually boots.

On the audio end they are almost carbon copies of each other. Both use the PCM1793 dac chip. Both use 1 opamp to convert the balanced dac out to unbalanced rca out and also act like a buffer.

17th September 2010, 08:52 PM	#1
Roland1001 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2010	Budged DAC ( Usb or otherwise ) Hello , i am searching for a good DAC for future hi-fi setup. I will be using a PC as a digital source -> DAC -> LM3886 diy chipamp -> Fullrange horns I am currently looking at : Musiland monitor 2 US and HRT music streamer II. From what i have read , the musicstreamer is better but if i understand correctly i would also need a pre-amp to use it , and that is too much for me atm. If anyone has better ideas/suggestions on other USB DACs+Preamps i would really appreciated. Also please check that i am right on needing a pre-amp , if not , i would go for the musicstramer. Price range is 100-200$ , maybe a really tiny bit higher. Roland.

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19th September 2010, 12:46 AM	#2
nightanole diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	What do you mean by "needs a pre amp"? Both have opamp buffered out puts. Both need "A" volume control. Both are to a point, the same. Its just down to which dac chip you like.

19th September 2010, 01:46 AM	#3
nightanole diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	After looking at both, they both use the same dac chip, and the monitor 01 us is basicaly the same as the music streamer II (usb powered).

19th September 2010, 04:08 PM	#4
Roland1001 diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2010	Yes but the monitor has a volume control and the music streamer II doesn't. I thought that meant one had some kind of amp and the other not. I don't have a complete understanding of audio.. yet , i hope .

19th September 2010, 05:07 PM	#5
nightanole diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	Um can you send me a link? Ive looked at the innards of both units via searches. I cant find a monitor 2 US with a volume control on the front. All the ones i see have rca out and 2 headphone outs, thats it. No volume control. personally id go with music streamer II. It requires no special drivers, and can do 24 bit/96khz (the limit of driverless usb). Also you speak with humans. Go head and try it, they answer my questions even on Saturday. Also i like the layout of the streamer II more, not much to clutter the signal. The monitor has several bandaids and custom drivers + firmware updates to get the 24bit 192khz usb 2.0 spec. The just made a mini pc with a programable gate array chip that actually boots. On the audio end they are almost carbon copies of each other. Both use the PCM1793 dac chip. Both use 1 opamp to convert the balanced dac out to unbalanced rca out and also act like a buffer.

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