Best USB DAC for Samsung S5 to Intergrated Tube Amp.

[StylinLP]

Hi, after an exhaustive search on this forum I coudlnt find all the answers I was looking for. Basically, I want to run Pandora and Deezler radio apps on my Samsung Galaxy S5 phone and Samsung Galaxy Pro Tab 10.1 tablet.

First, I bought this cable to connect my phone to an USB input on a DAC
Cable Matters (2-Pack) Micro-USB 3.0 OTG Adapter in Black for Samsung Galaxy S5

Now I need a DAC that supports 24bit/192k USB input to play back my HD Tracks albums I have stored on my phone and also to playback Pandora or the new Deezler radio apps. Also, I would like XLR balanced outputs because my Melody I2A3 intergrated tube amp at 18wpc has XLR balanced inputs. Playing all on my vintage Wharfedale w60 and JBL speakers that I swap out.

The following is what I found on Amazon and Music Direct. I heard that the SABRE DAcs are the best out there but not all these have that DAC and not all these have XLR balanced outputs....But I can leave that criteria out if the DAC that is recommended is so much better than other choices. Which of the DACS below would you recommend based on what I want and have?

Parasound - Zdac - Digital to Analog Converter
AD1853 DAC IC
XLR Balanced Outputs

iFi Micro iDAC High Definition (24/192) Asynchronous USB Digital Audio Converter (DAC)
ESS Sabre DAC chip?
standard RCA outputs

iFi - Micro iDSD DAC
Dual ESS Sabre DAC chip
standard RCA outputs

Emotiva Stealth DC-1 | Balanced 24/192 Fully Differential DAC
dual independent AD1955 differential D/A converters
full balanced differential XLR outputs

Peachtree Audio DAC-iT X Digital to Analog Converter with 24/192 Asynchronous USB
ESS 24bit/192kHz Sabre 9023 chip

SIMAUDIO MOON - 100D DAC
Burr Brown 24bit/192k DAC chipsets PCM1793
USB input on the MOON 100D is fully USB v1.1 compliant and accepts a USB audio signal up to 16-bits/48kHz - Augh...not good
Single-ended Analog Output (RCA):

JOLIDA - GLASS FX TUBE DAC III
Burr Brown DAC chipsets
Single-ended Analog Output (RCA):

HRT - MUSIC STREAMER II + (Oval)
Does not list which DAC is used. Just states:
revised and improved audio DAC along with 24/96kHz compatibility and Asynchronous USB.
Single-ended Analog Output (RCA):

HRT Music Streamer HD USB D/A processor
Burr-Brown PCM1794—a 24-bit/192kHz processor
balanced differential XLR outputs

CAMBRIDGE - STREAM MAGIC 6 v2 NETWORK MUSIC PLAYER
Dual Wolfson WM8740 24-bit DACs
Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog audio outputs
Wireless

CAMBRIDGE - DACMAGIC 100 24/192 DAC
Wolfson WM8742 24-bit DAC
Single-ended Analog Output (RCA):

Meridian - Director 24/192 USB & S/PIDF DAC
Does not state which DAC it has
Single-ended Analog Output (RCA):

Musical Fidelity V90-DAC D/A processor
Burr-Brown's 32-bit PCM1795 chip
RCA analog outputs

Musical Fidelity - M1SDAC
Only states it has a 32 bit DAC but does not name it.
RCA analog outputs

CIAUDIO - TRANSIENT MKII DAC
Wolfson WM8742 DAC
RCA analog outputs

 

[StylinLP]

Hmmm no answer to my thread except for a private message to try the iFi - Micro iDSD DAC. I guess im going to forget about balanced outputs and go with the iFi - Micro iDSD DAC. But the only full retail not on sale is at Music Direct.

 

[4-2-7]

Audioengine D2, DAC & 24bit streaming stand alone WiFi


McIntosh D100, Digital Preamp or can be used for it's DAC only, Fully Balanced XLR outputs

 

[livestrong]

I guess im going to ...go with the iFi - Micro iDSD DAC.

I had been on a fairly exhaustive search for a long while for something to integrated my Mac Mini - I finally settled on the iFi Micro iDSD DAC. It arrived today and after around 4 hours or so, I'm incredibly happy! I'm not normally a fan of paying full retail (I suppose nobody really is) but this one is here to stay so why not

 

[StylinLP]

McIntosh D100 doesn't do DSD and its a lot of money, I think I will stick with the iFi - Micro iDSD DAC. Thanks for the suggestion thou.