List of DACs Under $450

[Lavane]

I am waiting for this to arrive but at $350 to the door my expectations are at $350
Will see if it worth the price it certainly looks cool to me
Will see if the tubes cool off the high end that some complained about in the K13

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Now that tou must have had some time with this tuge DAC, how do you like it? I'm curious what you think of the tube buffer stage.
I see it comes with JJ E88CC's. I really like the EH 6922's in one of my phono preamps
The 6922 is a drop in sub for the E88CC.

 

[Middle Earth]

Now that tou must have had some time with this tuge DAC, how do you like it? I'm curious what you think of the tube buffer stage.
I see it comes with JJ E88CC's. I really like the EH 6922's in one of my phono preamps
The 6922 is a drop in sub for the E88CC.

It is an excellent DAC $350 R2R
FiiO can’t keep up demand
I favor DACs with one purpose in life i.e. just a DAC
It can be a bit much if you stack color

 

[Lavane]

It is an excellent DAC $350 R2R
FiiO can’t keep up demand
I favor DACs with one purpose in life i.e. just a DAC
It can be a bit much if you stack color

Thanks. That's been my thinking as well since I've started looking at DAC's.
I just need it to the one thing only. The tube buffer is kind of a neat idea.
You can change the overall tone somewhat from the brand and tube types used. Plus who doesn't like bouncing meters!? Even if they are just eye candy.

 

[Middle Earth]

Thanks. That's been my thinking as well since I've started looking at DAC's.
I just need it to the one thing only. The tube buffer is kind of a neat idea.
You can change the overall tone somewhat from the brand and tube types used. Plus who doesn't like bouncing meters!? Even if they are just eye candy.

The tube upgrade will be worth it
There is one tube for each out put so two single ended and four for XLR so you can get by with two tubes for single ended

 

[Lavane]

The tube upgrade will be worth it
The is one tube for each out put so two single ended and two XLR so you can get by with two

That's cool. Does it come with 4 tubes? If so, you can pull two then and have extras since you most likely would only use one or the other output.

 

[Sliphorn]

That's cool. Does it come with 4 tubes? If so, you can pull two then and have extras since you most likely would only use one or the other output.

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It comes with four tubes. Balanced uses all four. I think the unbalanced takes the signal from the right and left positive legs. In my main system I use both rca and xlr simultaneously. It is a very good sounding dac. After having it in steady use for a couple of weeks now I see no reason to go back to a d/s dac. It is very much to my liking.
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[Middle Earth]

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It comes with four tubes. Balanced uses all four. I think the unbalanced takes the signal from the right and left positive legs. In my main system I use both rca and xlr simultaneously. It is a very good sounding dac. After having it in steady use for a couple of weeks now I see no reason to go back to a d/s dac. It is very much to my liking.
.

You are correct
The single ended uses the two positive legs aka two tubes and the XLR use all four, two positive and two negative
This video explains just that

 

[justin_r_23]

And today last night, Schiit announced the Vestri dongle DAC - $99, unbalanced 1/8" and balanced 4.4mm, USB C input.