toslink to analog, D/A, DAC, lack of low-cost options

mnr102 · 24th November 2007, 06:14 AM

I'm pretty confused by the lack of low-cost options for converting a SPDIF / toslink output from my soundcard to line-level analog signal that I'd feed into my amplifier.

My small desktop Edirol monitors (MA-10D) have a SPDIF input and therefore have a D/A in there. And the whole speakers only cost ~$115. Likewise, a reputable Yamaha or Onkyo CD player costs ~$200, and they have a decent D/A converter in there.

So why is it that all of the D/As on the market are $500 and up? I'm fine w/ the Edirol quality, and I'm fine w/ the quality of my Yamaha cd player's analog outs, so why can't I find an equivalent external D/A converter for around $100? The closest I've seen are the Behringers, which are really for studio recording. There are endless options to get INTO a computer (USB, Firewire interfaces), but how do folks get back out?

Thanks,
Mike

analog_sa · 24th November 2007, 06:44 AM

You're obviously not searching the right places. Have a look here

mnr102 · 24th November 2007, 03:04 PM

Thanks for the link. I'd seen that one. It's $250 in the US from Audiomagus, which is way more than the cost of the D/A in my Edirols or the D/A in my Yamaha cd player. So I still feel like there's a decent quality D/A module (like the ones in the 2 peices of equipment I just mentioned) that should be available for around $100.

-Mike

sharpi31 · 24th November 2007, 03:19 PM

Try this one...

Ebay USB DAC

The reason that there aren't more low cost options is that people tend to want higher quality audio from standalone peripheral devices (i.e. better conversion than found in basic audio monitors and cheap CD and DVD players).

analog_sa · 24th November 2007, 03:28 PM

Not sure if we're talking of the same. Dac $85 + $18 airmail.

mnr102 · 24th November 2007, 03:42 PM

Ah, yes, thanks for correcting me. I hadn't seen that little Super DAC707. $85 + 18 shipping seems ok. I'm a bit worried about ordering from HK. Does this device have a track record on this forum? That is, do they actually deliver? I guess I'll go search the forum. Thanks for the tip.

-Mike

analog_sa · 24th November 2007, 04:21 PM

Yes, Eddie is very relaible and so are the products he sells. You can probably pick the same stuff directly from China much cheaper but then you are on your own.

mattmeow · 24th November 2007, 07:53 PM

Most of the old sony minidisc players have DAC's built into them. I found one in a dumpster with a broken disc drive, it seems to work pretty good for converting optical to RCA. It also works well as an optical signal repeater, if you simply run an optical signal in and out.

24th November 2007, 06:14 AM	#1
mnr102 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	toslink to analog, D/A, DAC, lack of low-cost options I'm pretty confused by the lack of low-cost options for converting a SPDIF / toslink output from my soundcard to line-level analog signal that I'd feed into my amplifier. My small desktop Edirol monitors (MA-10D) have a SPDIF input and therefore have a D/A in there. And the whole speakers only cost ~$115. Likewise, a reputable Yamaha or Onkyo CD player costs ~$200, and they have a decent D/A converter in there. So why is it that all of the D/As on the market are $500 and up? I'm fine w/ the Edirol quality, and I'm fine w/ the quality of my Yamaha cd player's analog outs, so why can't I find an equivalent external D/A converter for around $100? The closest I've seen are the Behringers, which are really for studio recording. There are endless options to get INTO a computer (USB, Firewire interfaces), but how do folks get back out? Thanks, Mike

24th November 2007, 03:42 PM	#6
mnr102 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	DAC 707 Ah, yes, thanks for correcting me. I hadn't seen that little Super DAC707. $85 + 18 shipping seems ok. I'm a bit worried about ordering from HK. Does this device have a track record on this forum? That is, do they actually deliver? I guess I'll go search the forum. Thanks for the tip. -Mike

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24th November 2007, 06:44 AM	#2
analog_sa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sofia	You're obviously not searching the right places. Have a look here

24th November 2007, 03:04 PM	#3
mnr102 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	Thanks for the link. I'd seen that one. It's $250 in the US from Audiomagus, which is way more than the cost of the D/A in my Edirols or the D/A in my Yamaha cd player. So I still feel like there's a decent quality D/A module (like the ones in the 2 peices of equipment I just mentioned) that should be available for around $100. -Mike

24th November 2007, 03:19 PM	#4
sharpi31 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	Try this one... Ebay USB DAC The reason that there aren't more low cost options is that people tend to want higher quality audio from standalone peripheral devices (i.e. better conversion than found in basic audio monitors and cheap CD and DVD players).

24th November 2007, 03:28 PM	#5
analog_sa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sofia	Not sure if we're talking of the same. Dac $85 + $18 airmail.

24th November 2007, 04:21 PM	#7
analog_sa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sofia	Yes, Eddie is very relaible and so are the products he sells. You can probably pick the same stuff directly from China much cheaper but then you are on your own.

24th November 2007, 07:53 PM	#8
mattmeow diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	Most of the old sony minidisc players have DAC's built into them. I found one in a dumpster with a broken disc drive, it seems to work pretty good for converting optical to RCA. It also works well as an optical signal repeater, if you simply run an optical signal in and out.

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