DACs: Cheap vs Expensive

WattNot said:
I have a Denafrips Ares II on order. When it arrives I will compare it to my Maverick Tubemagic D2. The Tubemagic D2 sounds better than my Schiit Modi 2.
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R2r if done right should be more listenable.
The last Modi 2 (warm runner) was much better then the older version
Modi3+ better then all of them-including the Modi MB1 IMHO.
The Bifrost 2 is in another leauge.
It's about 90% of a Yiggy OG-spent some quality time with a Yiggy-the price was keeping me away.
I figured the technology would finally trickle down.
This is what a good R2R should sound like.
Reminds me of a well broken in A/T 120/E.
Or a great album coppied to a R to R UDXL.
Have not heard a Denafrips Ares II.
 
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The interesting thing about Vinshine Audio, who makes the Ares II, is that they test everything after they build the unit, then burn it in for 100 hours, then test that the unit will reproduce all the sampling rates that it is supposed to. In this case I don’t mind waiting for 2 weeks for the unit to ship for that kind of quality control. I was amazed when I got a message about the testing and a personal thank you for my purchase from Alvin Chee the owner of Vinshine. Can’t wait to try my first R2R dac.
 
WattNot said:
The interesting thing about Vinshine Audio, who makes the Ares II, is that they test everything after they build the unit, then burn it in for 100 hours, then test that the unit will reproduce all the sampling rates that it is supposed to. In this case I don’t mind waiting for 2 weeks for the unit to ship for that kind of quality control. I was amazed when I got a message about the testing and a personal thank you for my purchase from Alvin Chee the owner of Vinshine. Can’t wait to try my first R2R dac.
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Sweet!:)
 
Went ahead and got myself one of those non-oversampling DACs to try out.
It's the LITE DAC-AH with 8 TDA1543 DAC chips in parallel. Very popular due to its simplicity, value and modification appeal.
I must say, that even without any mods or fixes it sounds nice and sweet.
It is surprising how well it renders high-res files (24bit, 48kHz) at its 'native' mode (16bit, 44.1kHz).

If you don't care much about specs, give it a try.
Sounds better than my other, more expensive DACs with discrete output stages and much newer chips (AK4495SEQ and Burr Brown 1796).

Now, I run it in passive IV and with higher filter capacitance.
Allen Bradley or Kayama carbon composition resistors in the analogue section and Vishay RN for digital.
Coupling capacitors are 100uF axial bipolar electrolytics // ex-Soviet PIO // ex-Soviet polycarbonate film // silver Mica.
 
Schiit Brickhause.jpg
Built like a brick Schiithause!;)
For the forceable future this is all I need.
I use the Modi+3 to do some comparison right now-soon it will do duty with my Sony cd changer. It a awesome sounding dac as well-just not R2r.
The Bifrost 2 also hooked to a PC, and Marantz Pro cd changer.
Just ran a toslink between the Bifrost 2 and my Polk XM Receiver-wow!!
This is the first time a external dac sounded better then the internal BB chips.
Deep Tracks never sounded so good!!
frankly I have NEVER heard XM sound this good. Not bright and shiny MP3 sound-but very much analog-with none of the occasional typical XM artifacts.
Again-the Bifrost 2 ain't your dads Bifrost 1 or ModiMB!!
I still find it hard to believe it sounds this good at the admission price!!
I have been waiting for Schiit to get a big portion of their Yiggy sound in their R2r Dac's under 1k.
Currently driving a Van Alstine Transcendence 10RB driving a H/K PA2400 amp, and Infinity RSiiia's
 
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Help a Dinosaur...... I have a docking station for my IPOD to play thru my stereo. The volume is way below that of the other inputs going into the amp. I am told I need a DAC as a sort of pre-amp, and that I should be able to get one for about $30. Can any of you verify this and give me any pointers or suggestions ?? Thanks
 
Bill Murray said:
Help a Dinosaur...... I have a docking station for my IPOD to play thru my stereo. The volume is way below that of the other inputs going into the amp. I am told I need a DAC as a sort of pre-amp, and that I should be able to get one for about $30. Can any of you verify this and give me any pointers or suggestions ?? Thanks
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Maverick D1
 
botrytis said:
Bullshit. Really. Your opinion, I will respectfully disagree because I have said exactly that and was shown to be wrong. If they use the filters on the DAC chip or have there own, also, makes a huge difference.

As I said, that is YOUR opinion, not an actual reality. I am not talking expensive DAC's but there are more out there than SMSL, Schiit (which are 2 gens behind the times and why they are cheap). Buy what you want but if your digital playback sounds bad to you, it is more than likely your playback system is the culprit (change out the DAC).
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Opinion is acceptable in the absence of fact, not in conflict with it.

You are far to kind in this post. ;)
 
automojo said:
Maverick D1
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More iPhone/iPod questions - a review of the Maverick D1 says that it has a line level input for an iPhone. But this implies headphone out from the iPhone thus already passing through the iPhone's built in DAC. My iPhone will send line out from the lightning connector as well. How would one set up a chain to get raw digital from an iPhone to an external DAC? I have a lightning to USB adapter. If I chain iPhone>Lightning-to-USB Adapter-External DAC would that work? How would it work with the OP's iPod?

Thanks
 
Pondoro said:
More iPhone/iPod questions - a review of the Maverick D1 says that it has a line level input for an iPhone. But this implies headphone out from the iPhone thus already passing through the iPhone's built in DAC. My iPhone will send line out from the lightning connector as well. How would one set up a chain to get raw digital from an iPhone to an external DAC? I have a lightning to USB adapter. If I chain iPhone>Lightning-to-USB Adapter-External DAC would that work? How would it work with the OP's iPod?

Thanks
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Need a I dock or the like
Peachtree made a dac with a idoc-some others as well.
The d1 front input is 1/4" plug-analog.
 
I've been schooled recently by some Facebook / Reddit experts on DACs. A $12.99 dongle sounds every bit as good as a $1500 boutique DAC. You simply cannot tell the difference.

This coming from the same experts who ridiculed me about changing our OpAmps in my DAC because that too cannot be heard by the human ear.

Apparently.
 
ASR posted data on MHDT Pagoda, it’s one horrid $1500 boutique DAC that performs worse than the original Sony Walkman.
 
gvl said:
ASR posted data on MHDT Pagoda, it’s one horrid $1500 boutique DAC that performs worse than the original Sony Walkman.
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Question if you please. What exactly constitutes a component being "boutique"? Is that considered desirable?
 
E-Stat said:
Question if you please. What exactly constitutes a component being "boutique"? Is that considered desirable?
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I'm guessing people call it "boutique" when it's a lot more expensive than most comparable products?

Just a guess here.
 
cpt_paranoia said:
It's not impossible; some 'boutique' DACs are audiophoolery... The Apple DAC dongle measures pretty well; better than a fair number of much more expensive DACs.
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It's truly amazing how the cost of good audio has dropped to zilch. It's everywhere.

I enjoyed playing a Kaki King album in lossless with AirPod Pros while out biking today. Which bypasses the dongle. Better.

Listening to the same album on the stats is a different experience. Best.
 
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TheMarco said:
I'm guessing people call it "boutique" when it's a lot more expensive than most comparable products?
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Ok. I guess I don't associate that term with $1500 DACs.

If all it means is "cosmetic fluff / gee whiz wally" stuff as is found with some gear, then such sure makes sense.
 
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