A cheap DAC for DTS/AC-3 working well???

keilau

keilau

AK Member
I moved an older LCD TV (LG Model DU-37LZ30) to my main audio setup, which has no option to output PCM digital. The only audio output is DTS SPDIF Toslink. It generates only white noise on my SMSL SD-1955 DAC. What is a good DAC that takes DTS/AC-3 signal?

CHEAP = $100 or less
Working well = SD-1955 level audio performance

Any review or forum link will be appreciated.
 
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I have not personally used this DAC, but I know several others who have and it worked well for them:

http://www.parts-express.com/fiio-d...134?AID=1457483&PID=6155355&SID=1nk6tgqcf28it

mhedges said:
AC-3 like laserdisc?
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AC-3 is just another name for Dolby Digital. The laserdisc implementation was unique because it was encoded on one of the depreciated analog channels from the original laserdisc standard (the digital channels on a Laserdisc output PCM). As the AC-3 signal in that case was analog, it required the use of a demodulator to return it back to digital form, at which point it was simply a conventional Dolby Digital signal.
 
Not sure if they make a personal DAC with DTS decoding since it is a Trademark technology, your best bet maybe to find a cheap 2/multichannel avr to decode it to PCM, good question though :)
 
keilau said:
I moved an older LCD TV (LG Model DU-37LZ30) to my main audio setup, which has no option to output PCM digital. The only audio output is DTS SPDIF Toslink. It generates only white noise on my SMSL SD-1955. What is a good DAC that takes DTS/AC-3 signal?

CHEAP = $100 or less
Working well = SD-1955 level audio performance

Any review or forum link will be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Your best bet may be a used AV receiver that has DTS decoding.

There are devices like this http://www.amazon.com/Orei-DA34-Dig...id=1410310757&sr=1-3&keywords=digital+decoder

but I cannot attest to their quality. There are many flavors of similar devices to be found on Amazon and other places. Just be sure they actually include DD/DTS decoders though, as you've found out plain old DACs don't work.
 
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD USB Audio System with SBX SB1240

I found this Creative Sound DAC/ADC on Amazon that may work.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD USB Audio System with SBX SB1240

The construction quality and price seem reasonable. But I could not find any independent discussion on the audio quality. Nor any manual on line to tell me if the unit works with DTS S/PDIF optical in. I do not need it to do the decoding of DTS. I just need the digital to analogue conversion in stereo if it accepts DTS format digital signal.
 
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whoaru99 said:
Your best bet may be a used AV receiver that has DTS decoding.
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Yes, I borrow the Marantz NR1602 from the family room which worked like a charm. But it is too expensive as a DAC. :no:

And I do not have any old A/V receiver laying around.
 
keilau said:
I found this Creative Sound DAC/ADC on Amazon that may work.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD USB Audio System with SBX SB1240

The construction quality and price seem reasonable. But I could not find any independent discussion on the audio quality. Nor any manual on line to tell me if the unit works with DTS S/PDIF optical in.
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Dude, the Fiio is like $42 on Amazon and works flawlessly. It's designed specifically for what you're trying to accomplish. Why dither around looking for obscure, more expensive devices that do the same thing? The thing is made of aluminum, is tiny, and requires zero drivers. Plug it in and it works, simple as that.
 
keilau: Iirc, Creative's old Extigy featured at least Dolby Digital decoding in hardware, also usable in stand-alone operation. Not sure how compatible it would be to Dolby Digital Plus material, though, as I have zero experience with that - but for regular DD it should do the job, and a used exemplar should be pretty cheap to get...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
To OP - your duplicate threads are merged. Per AK Rules: "Post in the one best forum for your topic; one thread per topic, no duplicates."
 
prighello said:
Dude, the Fiio is like $42 on Amazon and works flawlessly. It's designed specifically for what you're trying to accomplish. Why dither around looking for obscure, more expensive devices that do the same thing? The thing is made of aluminum, is tiny, and requires zero drivers. Plug it in and it works, simple as that.
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I tried a Filo before and found the sound quality awful. I do not expect real high fidelity from TV sound, just reasonable. In that sense, the Filo is very different from a quality DAC such as the SMSL SD-1955.

I have been spoiled by the SMSL SD-1955 and am looking for something comparable in sound quality. It is hard to believe that there is no reasonably priced DAC with good sound that can handle DTS.

But it is NOT easy to find. I have a Tianyun Zero DAC that sounds really good, but is PCM only too. I use it with my computer setup.
 
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Funny, I didn't notice a huge difference between the Fiio D07 and the Wolfson Dac in my Onkyo A-9050. I've has like 5 dacs now and the D07 did not sound awful in any way. Of course I just sent back an Emotiva XDA-2 because I couldn't discern a real difference between it and my Teac A-H01. Anyway, good luck.
 
When you say AC-3 or DTS - do you mean surround 5.1? If so, you won't find standalone DACs. Best bet is AV receiver with preamp outputs. AV processor will also work, but will likely cost more money.
 
Not a DAC, per se, but there are standalone decoder+dacs that will take the DTS or DD output from the TV and convert to 2-ch analog, which I believe is the goal.
 
for_p1 said:
When you say AC-3 or DTS - do you mean surround 5.1? If so, you won't find standalone DACs. Best bet is AV receiver with preamp outputs. AV processor will also work, but will likely cost more money.
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Most newer TV provide option to output the Toslink signal in either LPCM or DTS format, but the older set I have does not.

Yes, an A/V receiver would work. My Marantz NR1602 does fine, but is too expensive to use as a DAC. I found some digital DTS decoders on Ebay, but could not find any review of their sound quality.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC3-DTS-Digital-Audio-Gear-Sound-Decoder-Optical-Coaxial-SPDIF-for-PS3-AC113/201167170806?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23490%26meid%3D7c8f79d596634c1ea19190ede78e202c%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D10073%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D321496545142&rt=nc

MOCHA MT-20 V3 5.1CH DTS DAC Audio Decoder
 
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