Which DAC for 100$/80€ (kit or not) ?

[FroggySeven]

DONE : was looking for a DAC at 100$/80€ , kit or not

As I will use 2 or 3 DAC in my project, I don't want to spend too much money for one...

To compare kits with other devices, kits have to be cheaper or with the power supply include.
I'd rather have a USB besides the SP/DIF, but it's not so important.

Thank you a lot if you can help me in my choice !!!

 

[korben69]

Hi FroggySeven
Could you post more informations about your project...
Input : SPDIF / USB / I2S ?
Output : SE or Balanced ?
PSU is often a different unit

 

[FroggySeven]

Thank you to try to help me.

Input : SPDIF first, and then USB besides would be a must

Output : I don't know at all what does it means SE or balanced
if it is symmetric/asymmetric, the answer is asymmetric.
if balanced means with bass and tremble correction, not balanced !
else


PS: the description of my project is on my "homepage" (a link to a thread of the forum in fact...)

 

[dtharper]

Look into the ODAC, can't beat $99. I love mine so far.

 

[jean-paul]

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/group-buys/211201-es9023-wm8804-s-pdif-dac-group-buy.html

Shamelessly advertising our design, sorry but I did so because you mentioned SPDIF. ODAC is USB only.

 

[tvrgeek]

I bought a Chinese special DAC/can amp called "Muse". Current top chips and it was cheap. Now, I do need to build a real power supply. It is surprisingly good. Not that you can't do better. I would say it is slightly smoother than the NAD 565 I just bought, but it may be that the NAD is more accurate. Both are "rougher" than the NAD C520 I had, but it masked how bad the CD's actually are. My big Rotel may be a tad smoother too, but they are masters of smoothing out the top edge.

 

[FroggySeven]

I bought this : just have to wait now to know if it was a good or bad idea !
24BIT/192k WM8805+AD1955+​PCM2706 Coaxial Fiber Optic USB DAC Board Kit MS-1

 

[31697B]

I liked the spec from the AD1955 chip.... all DAC measure well at or near full output. But details in music are low level info...... the AD1955 does better than most others at -60 input for THD. You can get fully built circuits with it on eBAY. -RNM

 

[jcx]

well implemented delta-sigma audio DAC are typically linear at low levels - to well below the noise floor


so how can you tell the -60 dB distortion is superior when the AD1955 noise floor is higher than some other recent flagship audio DACs