DAC recommendations

[mep]

Alright all of you digit lovers, I’m thinking about replacing my E-MU 0404 DAC and I’m looking for some recommendations for some cheap giant killers. Here is my must have list:

USB asynchronous input that will pass 24/192
RCA outputs and balanced outputs
Must sound damn good

I do think the E-MU 0404 is a great sounding DAC and is crazy good for the money. Larry Toy raved about this DAC and Steve Williams gave it the nod too. I bought it based on those recommendations and the funny thing was that when I was using it with my Counterpoint SA-5.1 and my Jadis Defy 7 MKII, I thought it sounded like ass. I even sent Steve a PM and asked him if he was high on the crack pipe when he heard it. Shortly after that my Counterpoint was back to its maker and my Jadis broke (again). In goes the Yamaha C2a and a pair of PL 400 Series 2 amps to “hold me over” and low and behold, I was amazed at how good the 0404 sounded. I had to eat tons of crow over that mistake.

There are no drivers other than beta for the 0404 to use with Windows 7 and now it won’t pass signals higher than 96 kHz which is why I’m contemplating moving on. I think the Cambridge DacMagic Plus looks very promising and it fulfills all of my requirements. But, I don’t know anyone who owns it and can vouch for it. Any thoughts would be welcome.

 

[Bruce B]

Look no further than the Mytek Stereo 192-DSD

 

[c1ferrari]

Look no further than the Mytek Stereo 192-DSD

Bruce...looks intriguing -- have you heard it?

 

[Bruce B]

Bruce...looks intriguing -- have you heard it?

Certainly did... If you can't swing for the Playback Designs MPD-3, it's the next best thing!

 

[mep]

Look no further than the Mytek Stereo 192-DSD

Bruce-Thanks for the tip. How does it sound?

 

[Bruce B]

Bruce-Thanks for the tip. How does it sound?

Gus Skinas recommends Mytek converters as an alternative to the EMM Labs for the Sonoma DSD workstation. I've heard this unit twice now and it didn't disappoint. The only other 2 PCM converters I've heard that are better and cost under $10k are the Playback Designs and the Forssell. Unfortunately the Forssell is a professional unit with no USB input.

There is some vaporware by Lynx called the HiLO that looks intriguing. Can't wait to hear it.

 

[c1ferrari]

Certainly did... If you can't swing for the Playback Designs MPD-3, it's the next best thing!

Heard some 192/24 using Audiogate, I believe, streaming over our wi-fi to a laptop, which was tethered to a Universal Audio DAC. The artist was Patricia Barber and the sound was amazing

 

[Bruce B]

Heard some 192/24 using Audiogate, I believe, streaming over our wi-fi to a laptop, which was tethered to a Universal Audio DAC. The artist was Patricia Barber and the sound was amazing

My mix engineer has a Universal Audio 2192. It's pretty good. Sounds about the same as a Crane Song HEDD. Both require AES/EBU interface.

 

[Tom B.]

Just to note, there are three versions of the Mytek Stereo192. Preamp versions in black with LED meters & unbalanced analog inputs, preamp version in silver w/unbalanced analog inputs but no LED meters, and the mastering version in black with LED meters and a pair of BNC SDIF DSD inputs replacing the RCA inputs on the previous two.

Performance is otherwise claimed to be similar among the three (firmware is different for each device, however).

With the exception of the occasional SACD player, few (or perhaps no) consumer devices will output DSD, correct?

Tom

 

[Wasatch]

The new Rega DAC is very nice for the price.

 

[rbbert]

The new Rega DAC is very nice for the price.

For just a few dollars more (it's usually discounted), the NuForce DAC-9 handily bests the Rega, and has the 24/192 USB input as well. Check out the review at UltraAudio.com (and the USB board has been upgraded since then). Probably the best around for (well) under $2k. Not really comparable to the megabuck DAC's though.

 

[mep]

Based on Bruce's strong recommendation, I'm leaning towards the Mytek DAC even though it is 2x more expensive than the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus.

 

[garylkoh]

The best DAC in a shootout I did to pick my demo DAC for CES was the M2Tech Young - and it is comparable to some Megabuck DAC's. However, it doesn't have balanced output - although it will go up to 24/384 via USB (data dump mode). It also performs exceptionally well with computer servers as it seems less susceptible to jitter coming from the computer than the two other USB DACs I tried.

 

[RBFC]

The best DAC in a shootout I did to pick my demo DAC for CES was the M2Tech Young - and it is comparable to some Megabuck DAC's. However, it doesn't have balanced output - although it will go up to 24/384 via USB (data dump mode). It also performs exceptionally well with computer servers as it seems less susceptible to jitter coming from the computer than the two other USB DACs I tried.

I was close to buying the M2Tech Young. I ended up with the Calyx (which has been a great performer). The US distributor of the M2Tech was not good in returning correspondence, and that concerned me.

Lee

 

[FrantzM]

The best DAC in a shootout I did to pick my demo DAC for CES was the M2Tech Young - and it is comparable to some Megabuck DAC's. However, it doesn't have balanced output - although it will go up to 24/384 via USB (data dump mode). It also performs exceptionally well with computer servers as it seems less susceptible to jitter coming from the computer than the two other USB DACs I tried.

Ok I must say I like your ears 'cause I looooooove this one too .. I would say a better DAC than the Benchmark.... A superior DAC which would put to shame many costing 10 times the price... All that in an unassuming but rather elegant if not very audiophile-looking box ...

 

[garylkoh]

I was close to buying the M2Tech Young. I ended up with the Calyx (which has been a great performer). The US distributor of the M2Tech was not good in returning correspondence, and that concerned me.

Lee

That has since changed with the appointment of Tascam/Teac/Esoteric in the US as their North American distributor.

 

[garylkoh]

Ok I must say I like your ears 'cause I looooooove this one too .. I would say a better DAC than the Benchmark.... A superior DAC which would put to shame many costing 10 times the price... All that in an unassuming but rather elegant if not very audiophile-looking box ...

One of the DACs I pitted the Young against cost over 20x as much - which meant that the Young was less than half the sales tax on that mega-DAC. On the mix of music, that DAC was a hair better, but the moment Ella sang, the battle was over. Hands down to the Young.

 

[microstrip]

Mep,

As you have found in the past, you can have the best DAC in the world (I doubt that such think exists) and it can be a mismatch with your system. Your vintage Krell equipment has a characteristic sound signature, you have to look for something that matches it.

 

[mep]

Micro-please tell me what sound signature my vintage Krell gear has.

 

[FrantzM]

Micro-please tell me what sound signature my vintage Krell gear has.

Inquiring mind wants to know