Billiam1962
Member
Just bought a used onkyo dx702 cd player circa 1991. Need a external dac with toslink input.
What is good for less than $250?
What is good for less than $250?
I'm happy with the topping D30. I didn't fall out of my chair in amazement when I first used it but I find myself listening to the amp it is connected to a lot more than I did without it.
The Schiit modi multi-bit was a bit harsh for me. But one person's harsh is another person's detailed.
The modi multi-bit was on my SE tube amp. The D30 is on my Pass Labs M2 clone so it is an apples to oranges comparison too.
I seem to have a preference for DACs with CS4398 chips as my garage setup has a cheap EBAY board with that chip and my SE tube amp ended up with a NAD D1050
Thanks. Have read some very positive reviews of the D30 from people that have compared it to more expensive DAC's. Have only seen one negative so far and that reviewer mentioned the mid range was just a bit muddy compared to a JDS Labs comparably priced DAC. Have read a couple of people claiming that the D30 is better than the Cambridge Audio DAC which I find surprising. That costs $200.
I've read this CS4398 chip is a Cirrus Logic and has a tube like quality to it. That being the case I am sure I will like it.
The Schiit Modi Multibit DAC is pretty amazing in that price range. They have an excellent return policy if you don’t like it. It is a modern version of a ladder DAC with a proprietary filter.
I'm happy with the topping D30. I didn't fall out of my chair in amazement when I first used it but I find myself listening to the amp it is connected to a lot more than I did without it.
The Schiit modi multi-bit was a bit harsh for me. But one person's harsh is another person's detailed.
The modi multi-bit was on my SE tube amp. The D30 is on my Pass Labs M2 clone so it is an apples to oranges comparison too.
I seem to have a preference for DACs with CS4398 chips as my garage setup has a cheap EBAY board with that chip and my SE tube amp ended up with a NAD D1050
Yes, I had the same reaction to the Schiit Modi Multibit in two of my systems. I gave it to a mate who uses it with his Schiit Saga > Quad 405 > Sony SS-F9000 speakers and in that system it really does sound very nice. Not a good match in any of my systems though.
I've found that I prefer the AKM based DAC's over anything else. A bit smoother and more natural than the Sabre DAC's though without sacrificing their detail. For me the best of both worlds. Wolfson DAC's I tried simply have up too much and were bettered by a Starting Point Systems DAC3 with vintage Philips TDA1543 chip.... Till the damn thing failed that is.
TEAC UD-501 is dropping for $399.99 on Massdrop. If you can stretch the budget a bit it is a reasonable price for what you get and a probably a much better unit than what you can get for $250 in general. ...