New DAC for under $400

[jinp6301]

So I'm gonna have around $400 soon (yay for selling my supermacro ) and I'm looking to upgrade from my Entech Number Cruncher to be used with a CK2III and Grado 225s (woodied hopefully in the near future)

The DACs that I'm thinking of are the MSB Link III w/o upgrades, Headroom MicroDAC (new and old) and OPUS dac.

If you have any suggestions, tell me!

[Salt Peanuts]

Some DACs in your price point - keep in mind this is not a suggestion, but merely a list of DACs

- Ack! dAck2.0 (used)

- CIAudio VDA2 (used)

- Promitheusaudio Solid State DAC

[tkam]

Just a thought, but why not sell the Entech and the CK2III and get a Headamp Pico?

[PFKMan23]

Honestly, you could get the pico, but I'd get an Opus DAC.

[jinp6301]

Just a thought, but why not sell the Entech and the CK2III and get a Headamp Pico?

I dont always use my computer as source

[Dusty Chalk]

The DACs that I'm thinking of are the MSB Link III w/o upgrades, Headroom MicroDAC (new and old) ...

Those are both good choices, as is the Ack! Dack! I think there's also the DAC-ah, but the one with which I'm familiar distorted, so I can't vouch for their quality control.

I've had extensive experience with the MSB Link DAC III (I have two), and heard the Headroom briefly (but enough to put it on my "to buy" list of things to try).

[tkam]

I wonder if you could find a used Bel Canto DAC 2 for around $400? That'd be worth a look for sure.

[jinp6301]

http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1201546886

its going for around 600

[PFKMan23]

6-700 is about the going rate. I usually see them about 700-750.

[Dusty Chalk]

I've seen them go for less, but admittedly, not much less. You could probably negotiate $500 if you were patient enough.

What about a DAC1, has anyone ever heard one? They gotta be pretty good. L, you could probably get a Rega Planet for $400, but it doesn't have digital inputs.

[hYdrociTy]

- Ack! dAck2.0 (used) Yuck!

- CIAudio VDA2 (used) Mmm!

- Promitheusaudio Solid State DAC Yuck!

- Bel Canto DAC 2 Mmm!

[jinp6301]

Those are both good choices, as is the Ack! Dack! I think there's also the DAC-ah, but the one with which I'm familiar distorted, so I can't vouch for their quality control.

I've had extensive experience with the MSB Link DAC III (I have two), and heard the Headroom briefly (but enough to put it on my "to buy" list of things to try).

did you have the upgraded version of the MSB Link III (half nelson mods) or not?

[jinp6301]

oh and the Denon DA-500 if I can find one

[Cankin]

I'm looking for a DAC for about the same price too, there is one from Audiomagus at the end of this month.

http://www.audiomagus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=122&limit=1&limitstart=1

[Dusty Chalk]

did you have the upgraded version of the MSB Link III (half nelson mods) or not?

I had one with the following upgrades: HDCD, upsampling, PS1000 power supply -- all I did myself (but none of which required any soldering), this one still works. The other had some upgrades -- yes, I think they were the half nelson -- that were done by the previous owner, but required soldering, and doesn't work. I've yet to diagnose this one, but it's probably pretty simple, as it did work for a while.

[jinp6301]

I'm looking for a DAC for about the same price too, there is one from Audiomagus at the end of this month.

http://www.audiomagus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=122&limit=1&limitstart=1

hmm, looks interesting, but the santa's on the top of the page scare me

[Filburt]

Honestly, you could get the pico, but I'd get an Opus DAC.

I wouldn't; the Pico implementation is substantially better IMO.

[Cankin]

hmm, looks interesting, but the santa's on the top of the page scare me

Their new site is still under development

http://lotusacoustics.com/index.php

[n_maher]

I wouldn't; the Pico implementation is substantially better IMO.

Have you looked at the revised Opus, Filburt? I don't know if it's better than the first or not but I do know that they're now going to offer a choice of passive or discrete IV in addition to a few other things.

[Filburt]

Have you looked at the revised Opus, Filburt? I don't know if it's better than the first or not but I do know that they're now going to offer a choice of passive or discrete IV in addition to a few other things.

No, I was not aware of a revised design. Link to it? The Opus I'm familiar with uses the WM8740, which is a v-out dac and so there is no I/V to be performed. The modular design sounds neat in concept, but the implementation raises my concern even if assuming modularity is a reasonable platform for a dac, which I think is also open to reasonable debate (my preference is towards one-piece).

[hYdrociTy]

do you have any reasons for that, or are you just trying to be a living emoticon?

Honestly, I've never enjoyed any nos dac. The ack dack(not the latest one)'s resolution seemed surprisingly good for what it is and I may live with it if used third hand for 200 bucks, but not at the price they sell at new/slightly used. The dac ah(was modified too) didn't do anything for me at all but was not unpleasant by any means.

I may be judgmental and sound stupid to you all, but when a dac at this pricepoint has its chassis "built on our tune wooden Merbau wood with Stainless Steel plate similar to our TVC construction" and uses "Neotech 7N copper" which is $1.30 and up/ft, a as well as "Pure Silver RCA used for digital input and analog output," it takes a lot of credibility away.

Nothing wrong with having nice jacks and good wire, but again, it is a paradox because "tweaks" like this don't like to perform hard(if at all) on this level of performance. The money and effort spent on the arbitrary things could have been pooled into the actual heart of the gear- which in turn raises it's performance and receptivity of the "tweaks." In cases like this, the actual tweaks prevent the tweaks from being optimally implemented.

Of course hissy audiophiles love the wood, luxury external(and easily viewed) components, and snake sauce.

[n_maher]

No, I was not aware of a revised design. Link to it? The Opus I'm familiar with uses the WM8740, which is a v-out dac and so there is no I/V to be performed. The modular design sounds neat in concept, but the implementation raises my concern even if assuming modularity is a reasonable platform for a dac, which I think is also open to reasonable debate (my preference is towards one-piece).

DAC changes: Replace jumper pin headers with tri-state dip switches. Add support for new WM8741 (DSD header). Replace WM8740 with WM8741. This last change will affect the module prices as the chip is 3x more expensive. Change output capacitors to Elna SilmicII (actually started this with the last generation of boards).

Receiver changes: Replace jumper pin headers with tri-state dip switches.

We will also be officially adding the new COD DAC (based on the TI PCM1794) to the lineup. It will have optional simple passive I/V on board (Dale RN55 0.1% resistors and Elna SilmicII capacitors), or a separate active I/V stage (still being designed).

So I was mixing changes. There are updates to the original Opus design as well as a totally new DAC.

[philodox]

What is the PCM1794 like? Any other DACs or CD players that use it?

[n_maher]

What is the PCM1794 like? Any other DACs or CD players that use it?

Music Hall, Shanling, and I'm sure some others.

[philodox]

Hmmm, is it in anything good?