new dac considerations (for computer transport)

[mjg]

Thinking of going with a new dac, as an upgrade from my apogee minidac. I've been using USB and have primarily flac files (ape, ogg as well).

Mainly i'm debating going with a benchmark dac1/is2(usb conversion) , or maybe a transporter to avoid USB all together. It seems the onbard usb options on most dacs are considered inferior transports to an alternative like this.

No complaints with my mindac, but I know I can do a bit better with these fancier transport options available. I don't have any oversampling either and I know that i'm not utilizing the full potential of this DAC.

Anyway i've read a bit about the empiricle audio is2 dac1 mods, and also been trying to read a bit about the transporter. I noticed mods are finally available from modwright (but really pricey, 2 grand on top of the 2 grand unit, haven't seen a review on this mod yet).

Anyway, for my goals of using compressed digital as a source, can anyone give me advice? For reference, i'm using all grados, and have a pretty modded up extreme platinum as my amp. I've owned a dac1 in the past, and wasn't really thrilled with it's sound compared to other sources i've owned. I've never actually heard one of these modded units.

Any tips appreciated.

[mjg]

hmm, so u'd rather go with a cd player with digital inputs... didn't really consider that as an option. I do have a few cd's so having redbook transport is cool to. These units do look really expensive, how is this a better option?

[mjg]

hah yea, well i mean, i guess my range is fewer then 3 grand. Well yea I could consider that... so the squeeze box itself is a pretty decent transport? I mean both options I was looking at b4 were 2 grand or more so I guess anywhere in that range.

[philodox]

I'd get Nate to mod a squeezebox for me with a custom PSU.

[aerius]

hah yea, well i mean, i guess my range is fewer then 3 grand.

Audio Aero Prima SE DAC, yours for the low price of $2800.

[granodemostasa]

I personally like the Bel Canto Dac-3 for this category of built in-usb dacs. it sounded quite good, and I prefer it to all the 1K dacs out there.

[aerius]

doesn't solve the transport part, aerius

Well in that case he can get the Mk1 Capitole that's on Audiogon.

[aerius]

Clearly, he needs a new computer.

[mjg]

i have spdif on it, but i assumed it sucks and haven't tried it. It's built on to the motherboard heh.

I guess I can also use my macbook as a transport. It has spdif.

[grawk]

I'll again recommend airfoil and an airport express.

[mjg]

I personally like the Bel Canto Dac-3 for this category of built in-usb dacs. it sounded quite good, and I prefer it to all the 1K dacs out there.

that one looks cool too, but the price is up their and i've read some reviews that said it's a bit over priced for how it sounds? Have you compared it to your dac1 or lavry?

I guess if i do anything, i want it to be a real nice upgrade from my minidac.

[mjg]

yea u got me interested, i just hate i can't hear how one of those sounds before i bite the bullet ons omething like that. I mean i run that risk anyway, but when im buying a very pricey, and used model, that always feels a little more concerning.

So the question really is, would my SPDIF on my computer be a bottle neck, or should i really consider getting a squeeze box? I mean for all of this money spent on it, i want it to be really good for what I'd use it for 99% of the time a DAC. It would be kinda ghetto if the transport I used just sucked.

I always figured USB would be better then using the spdif on my PC... I'm wondering why people would go to such great lengths to use usb if spdif was such a better option off a cheapo soundcard?

[grawk]

macs are bit perfect by design.

[mjg]

dan,

do u think my macbook through spdif will sound alot better then USB through pc option im using? I also think its kinda annoying cuz i have my library (a few 500 gig drives) sitting on my pc anyway... would have to play the music over the network anyhow haah.

Also not to sure about what i'd use as playback software on the mac, i use foobar on windows and like it alot... What do you use?

[mjg]

yea i got a macbook pro, and a windows XP system I use in my room. I have them both tied into a KVM... I keep all my media on the pc though, that's the thing.

[grawk]

dan,

do u think my macbook through spdif will sound alot better then USB through pc option im using? I also think its kinda annoying cuz i have my library (a few 500 gig drives) sitting on my pc anyway... would have to play the music over the network anyhow haah.

Also not to sure about what i'd use as playback software on the mac, i use foobar on windows and like it alot... What do you use?

I use itunes. My lossless is in alac, and my only pc is locked to my desk at work...

I don't hear a difference between usb and optical for 44/48-16 data on my minidac, so I wouldn't worry about that part, if you're using music that originated on cd. I use optical because I have some 48/24 live recordings.

[mjg]

yea I think it would just be a pain to use my mac, esp if I wasnt getting an advantage over USB output on my pc... I think the squeeze box Idea is a bit cooler cuz if my music wasn't located on the box anyway it's doing more or less the same thing as using the mac for playback.

I use my pc mainly to store all my media like flac files, my hd-dvd's, and a bunch of other crap... The mac is nice, but being tethered to a laptop is kind've annoying esp with tons of cables poking out of it and snaked all over the place to use it as a desktop (usb drives and audio cables all over the place).

I guess I got alot to think about, i def don't want to throw away money unless it's really gonna make a huge difference for me. That dac looks awesome, but damn is it expensive... I had a feeling the ps audio digital link 3 was a good dac for the money, and been thinking of trying one of those, only thing is using the USB option on there didn't seem to use it to it's full advantage according to some of the reading I did.

bleh... too many options.

[mjg]

anyone looked into this thing?

USB Off-Ramp Turbo 2. It's expensive, but I guess u can use it with any pretty decent dac (that's not like 5 g's or whatever).

[n_maher]

I'd get Nate to mod a squeezebox for me with a custom PSU.

There's also just replacing the PS for the miniDAC, which has been known to improve the way it sounds as well...

[aerius]

Snaaaaake!!!!! It's a snnaaaaaake!!!

[mjg]

There's also just replacing the PS for the miniDAC, which has been known to improve the way it sounds as well...

Hmm. Where do i get a new one? What are my options?

[Icarium]

I strongly recommend a Wavelength Audio dac... the Cosecant is 3500 and a badass dac for sure. I have the Cosine which is the non usb version that is now discontinued and supposedly vastly inferior to the Cosecant though it retailed at the same price years ago. It's a tubed NOS single ended dac but it has solidly destroyed all DACs in the 1k region including a few I've heard in the 1.5k region. I got it for 800 used but it usually lists for 1200-1400. The downside is that all his dacs are single ended. Upside is that they all sound very good except for maybe the Brick. There is a significant quality jump in each of his lines too its not just like same sound signature but a bit more refined...

JP#'s is getting new Cosecant v2 later this week I'll probably check it out.

He offers generally offers at least two options with his DACs... copper/silver wound transformers. Always go with next model up before you go with the silver transformer option.

I used to be a big proponent of Empirical audio but after hearing both products and reading various posts I now consider Gordon Rankin of Wavelength to be a superior engineer and to design superior products.

What's wavelength stuff sound like? My amp is extremely organic and detailed (And I've been known to place detail over warmth/musicality but this dac does both) and unlike my last tubed dac the soundstage is very wide. There's not a whole lot of WoW factor but if you listen more and more the sound has amazing depth and very consistent and solid resolution. I constantly analyze the sound when I listen and I cannot find any flaws or areas I would improve. I guess if I have any complaints it might be that I'd like a bit more instrumental separation... but I've popped in a different tube and that's improved some what at a loss of impact and tone so I may go back to my Valvo ECC86.

[mjg]

Icarium,

Those dacs look awesome wow. Looked through the review and stuff. Never really thought of a tube dac, it looks pretty interesting though.My only experience so far with a NOS dac was the dialogue II I had in 2005. The 3500 is a bit more then I was thinking but that dac does look awesome. Sources are so freaking expensive.

The only thing I'm kinda turned off about is that it's USB only, for that kind've price. Even though I'd be only really using USB only, the design is pretty limited. My amp is single ended though for now so that shouldn't be a problem. I'd love to hear your comments once you finally hear the dac.

[Icarium]

Yeah the inputs are fairly limited I'm not totally sure why but I think he has some sort of hardcore proprietary processing on the usb that makes it sound the best.

Can always look on the used market. There's a used cosecant version 1 for 2150 or so on audiogon last time I looked.

I hear version 2 is significantly better though.

[granodemostasa]

I have compared the bel canto 3 to the vda-2 and benchmark dac-1. What I got out of it, was that it is a deeper, firm, authoritative sound compared to the relatively light vda-2 and dac-1. While it's not a league above the rest, I certainly liked it over the other 1K dac's that I've found....and they usually go for about 1600$ on A'gon. The transporter is also a possible option, although I have not had a chance to sit down with it in my own rig (however the stello DP200>F1>K1000 rig mike had was way better than the Transporter>F1>K1000 rig at the national).

I didn't like the wavelenght brick.. but i'm not sure about the cosine, i'd have to hear it.