DAC question

[markloft]

Several years ago (5-7?) I bought a Denon 300-USB DAC new.

This morning it just quit. It won't power on. No problems at all with it up until now.

Chalk it up to old age and chunk it? The power supply works... I'm getting 15.3 volts at the tip of the wall-wart cord that plugs into the back of the DAC. Other than that, all I know is that it won't turn on.

Question: is it worth replacing (or trying to see if someone can repair it)?

I'm using Belkin SoundForm Connect Airplay 2 devices mostly nowadays to stream iTunes from my laptop (all in Apple Lossless format). That's 99% of the music I listen to... streaming to one or more systems simultaneously (each with their own Belkin device). My old Airport Express units have been slowly dying over the last year.

The music through the DAC in the Belkin devices sounds fine to me. Would an external DAC be noticeably better to the average music lover?

If so, any that you like, reasonably priced? Say $500 or less?

 

[HB3]

I bought a Dragonfly Black last year to see if I could tell a difference. Yes, I could. I then bought a Schiit Modi 3 and that was better than the Dragonfly. For Christmas, Santa brought me a Dragonfly Red and that was quite an improvement. So yes, DACs do make a difference. Good luck in your search.

 

[Condorsat]

The Geshelli Labs J2 (w/ optional Amanero USB Module) might be worth looking at ... comes in at $300 w/ USB module.

 

[Jeff449]

It could be something simple like a blown fuse.

 

[RunOutGroove]

I recently found a used Schiit Modius for $100 and it sounds better to me than anything else I've had so far, including the built in DACs for a couple of DVD/SCAD players and the Topping D50s DAC that I previously had. Even new at $200 I feel like this thing is well worth it (it's $50 cheaper than the topping, which admittedly does have more features, but doesn't sound as good). I feel like DACs are the kind of thing that are still very much "improving tech" so that something like a current Schiit model might be better sounding than a more expensive DAC from several years ago.

If you're really motivated to see if you can improve the sound, it might be worth it to spend the effort to try and fix the Denon that you have at least by checking stuff like fuses and obvious stuff like busted fuses, broken connections, etc. Then you could buy something like the Modius for not too much money, A/B the sound with the old thing, keep the good one, sell the old and know that you have the best option while still not spending too much $$.

 

[nj pheonix]

Try to press and hold power button for 5 seconds continuously.

 

[markloft]

It could be something simple like a blown fuse.

No luck with pressing and holding the power button for 5 seconds continuously. I'll open it up now and see if I can find a fuse.

 

[markloft]

No luck with pressing and holding the power button for 5 seconds continuously. I'll open it up now and see if I can find a fuse.

They don't make it easy to open these things. Got it open, had to break a few little plastic tabs to do it. No fuse in sight. No clue. Tossed it. Thanks for the suggestions.