Dac or ?

[Jethro]

I have a toshiba universal... Best buy bought, that sounds like crap using the analogues for 2-channel audio. Would a cheap DAC be worth the cost to make this unit viable? Or should another route be taken here?

:scratchchin:

What DAC would be a cheap, good solution for this?

[dvenardos]

Define cheap...
Emac has a thread over at av123 about modding an earlier version of this dac.

http://www.audio-magus.com/Super_Pro_DAC707SE_USB_p/dac707usb.htm

I use the CI audio VDA-2 and highly recommend it:

http://www.ciaudio.com/

edit: it should work fine as a transport if that is your concern.

[Jethro]

$100 or less... It will be connected to an $80 BestBuy universal. Looking to get 2-channel audio quality similar to my denon 2910 dvd player out of this unit. For much over $100, I'd just look into getting a dedicated CD player such as an NAD or cambridge. I'm looking for mid-fi cd player audio sound out of my low grade toshiba dvd player... and of course it will play dvd's as well. :dizzy:

Thanks

[chessman]

Jethro, if the cd/dvd player has digital out and your receiver or prepro has digital in, then connect with a digital interconnect or an optic. That way you are using the DAC in the receiver or pre/pro.

[Jethro]

It has digital outs but the integrated's that I'll be using are the gizmo and/or a harman kardon 3485 neither of which have DACs built into them or digital inputs.

[dvenardos]

Here is this thread where everyone posted their favorites:

http://www.tweakcityaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=270

[Jethro]

Here is this thread where everyone posted their favorites:
http://www.tweakcityaudio.com/forum/...read.php?t=270

Is the dac707 one of the cheapest you have encountered? The cost of most of those DAC's in the link would steer me into a new CD player instead I think.

[dvenardos]

Is the dac707 one of the cheapest you have encountered? The cost of most of those DAC's in the link would steer me into a new CD player instead I think.

It is the cheapest one that I have heard anyone with an opinion that I would listen to has said is any good.

Personally, I would rather spend the money on a good DAC then on a CD player. A good DAC will make a cheap CD player sound fantastic and you can also use it with a squeezebox or similar device.

[Jethro]

It is the cheapest one that I have heard anyone with an opinion that I would listen to has said is any good.

Personally, I would rather spend the money on a good DAC then on a CD player. A good DAC will make a cheap CD player sound fantastic and you can also use it with a squeezebox or similar device.

I'm going to buy that super dac707. Is their a good place to buy it anyone knows of or is audiomagus the only place?

[dvenardos]

I'm going to buy that super dac707. Is their a good place to buy it anyone knows of or is audiomagus the only place?

Cool, let us know how you like it.
I couldn't find anyplace cheaper and the others were oddball places anyway. They are involved in the design of many of the products they sell.

[bunnyma357]

I'd put CD player money towards a Squeezebox or something along those lines. If you get the DAC it will work with the CD now and the SB later.

I have and love the Zero DAC from Hong Kong by way of eBay and have been really happy with it. Depending on Op-Amp upgrades it is between $130 and $180 roughly.

Jim C

[Jethro]

I'd put CD player money towards a Squeezebox or something along those lines. If you get the DAC it will work with the CD now and the SB later.

I have and love the Zero DAC from Hong Kong by way of eBay and have been really happy with it. Depending on Op-Amp upgrades it is between $130 and $180 roughly.

Jim C

Hey Jim I went over to ebay to check these out and I'm lost as to which one I should be looking at. I type in zero dac and I get a bunch of VERY similar DACs but they all say they are headphone amps too? Not sure if I'm looking at the right item... a little help please :scratchchin:

Thanks

Jethro

[bunnyma357]

Hey Jim I went over to ebay to check these out and I'm lost as to which one I should be looking at. I type in zero dac and I get a bunch of VERY similar DACs but they all say they are headphone amps too? Not sure if I'm looking at the right item... a little help please :scratchchin:

Thanks

Jethro

That's correct it is a DAC and a headphone amp. One optical and one coaxial input. The most information on it is on Head Fi.

It comes with sockets for the OpAmps, so it is a really simple mod to change them out, kind of like tube rolling. Compared to the SB3's internal DAC I get a little more presence and detail, maybe a little brighter, but slightly less harsh. It is fairly subtle, but very easy to hear if you do a level matched A/B.

I don't have any other DACs to compare it to, so I don't know how it would stack up to the competition.

Link to eBay (No affiliation with seller - there are many vendors - the one I bought from no longer lists them (Gigaworks)):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZERO-24-192-DAC-D-A-CONVERTOR-HEAD-FI-AMP-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ120312010479QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item120312010479&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Link to Massive Head Fi thread (500+ Pages):

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/review-zero-24-bit-192khz-dac-headphone-amp-pre-amp-269458/

Jim C

[csvencer]

I've bought the dac707 on the av123 Classified to play FLACs from my laptop using the 707 USB input. I am quite happy with it! :jiggy:

[Jethro]

I've thought it over a bit, and am going with the 707. To me, it makes more sense. I'll let you know what I think compared to the crap I have laying around over here :huge: