DAC's in 2025.
What have your most important learnings been regarding DAC's?
And which model would you choose now?
What have your most important learnings been regarding DAC's?
And which model would you choose now?
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The 2025 DAC Thread - Which would you choose now?
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ChristopherP
Active Member
I just bought the Topping Centauris Dac. Sounds most excellent, has all the I/O I wanted including IIS, and some great features and display capabilities. A bit of a reach, but the other two contenders didn't have the IIS input. Really great low treble, mid-range & mid bass output from good sources.
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
I`m very, very satisfied with my Pro-Jet brand S2 DAC`s excellent SQ & small form factor after using it all day and every day for ~10 yrs.
As far as I`m concerned it`s my endpoint/last DAC purchase !
As far as I`m concerned it`s my endpoint/last DAC purchase !
Audio Science Review does a lot of objective DAC reviews. Here's the latest and the SINAD bar chart will show other potentially good DACs.
www.audiosciencereview.com
SMSL DO200 Pro DAC Review
This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL DO200 Pro balanced stereo audio DAC. It was sent to me by Aoshida Audio and costs US $399. The small curve on top of the display distinguishes this DAC from myriad of others from SMSL and adds a bit of class to it. Otherwise, the user...
www.audiosciencereview.com
pete_mac
Super Member
I'll throw a proverbial spanner in the works... after owning more DACs than I care to remember, my most important learning for late 2024 (and carrying into 2025) is that the latest and greatest DAC chip does not guarantee the best subjective sound quality. I shudder to think where it would sit on the ASR SINAD chart, but my current Gieseler Kompakt II TDA1541A DAC is a keeper. Frankly, I'm amazed at what old tech can achieve when coupled with very clean power supplies and good quality, well engineered digital input and analogue output stages. Utterly engaging, fantastic clarity, and a sound stage to die for.
Asmodeus2112
Super Member
Nice. I just bought a SMSL PS200. Works and sounds great. It doesn't have volume control like my other DACS, so i can't use it as a pre. But I use it on my living room system where I have a turntable and still use a preamp.
I like my essence DAC. It's versatile. It has all the connections you could want including HDMI and balanced out conections. It also has an analog to digital capability. Since I got the Amp Pro the DAC has been moved to the bedroom with a the WiiM Pro and serves as a great headphone Amp. I'll probably sell it shortly. It has just been back to the factory and has a clean bill of health. A good time to advertise it.
Your DAC is still available for purchase new it appears for $2350 with the same chip set. Although not available to be shipped to where I live in the U.S.
Kompakt II DAC | gieseler
Description TDA1541A SE NOS - new upgraded version This DAC is available in several different DAC chip options. TDA1541A NOS, PCM1702 NOS & AD1862 NOS. Each one has different style of sound so it is worthwhile doing a little online research to see what you prefer. TDA1541A SE NOS is a classic &...
www.gieseler.com.au
pete_mac
Super Member
Your DAC is still available for purchase new it appears for $2350 with the same chip set. Although not available to be shipped to where I live in the U.S.
Kompakt II DAC | gieseler
Description TDA1541A SE NOS - new upgraded version This DAC is available in several different DAC chip options. TDA1541A NOS, PCM1702 NOS & AD1862 NOS. Each one has different style of sound so it is worthwhile doing a little online research to see what you prefer. TDA1541A SE NOS is a classic &...
Correcto! For the avoidance of doubt, this is a brand new, current model DAC, but utilising new-old stock TDA1541A chips.
The pricing is $AUD thus it would be cheaper for international buyers given the woeful $AUD exchange rate lately. Clayton Gieseler, the designer and manufacturer, could clarify whether international shipping is indeed an option - although the power supply arrangement could well preclude its use in non-230V/240V countries.
It took a few experiments to find something that I liked. Starting from the very inexpensive proof of concept for digital listening to blowing the entire annual hobby budget. Found something that wasn't irritating(most of them were) with good dynamics and stuck with it. Still listening to old pro and pro-sumer converters.
I'm waiting and watching the advancements of FPGA based units as a potential next move.
I'm waiting and watching the advancements of FPGA based units as a potential next move.
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I was happy with my Schiit Modi for many years until it quit working unless I heated it up with a hair dryer, (weird, but true). For the past couple years been very happy with my Schiit Modius and presently see no reason to change.
Mike
Mike
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lini
just me...
Currently none, 'cause I'd either prefer a decent prosumer USB sound interface, so I'd also have an ADC section - or I'd like to have a DAC, that can not only process stereo, but also multichannel digital audio into not only a regular stereo, but also a virtual surround downmix for both headphones and loudspeakers, be it delivered via SPDIF, USB or HDMI. But currently I'm not aware of such a DAC.
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
pashka
Member
Everything new is a repeat of the old.
Why do the most expensive and most musical DACs use chips that are already grandfathers?
Today's race for high technical indicators has led to the fact that they forgot about music and sound.
I have been looking for a DAC for a long time that can reproduce the sound of instruments realistically and was looking for something from the High End and as a result, for many years now in my system
Antelope Zodiac Silver, High End, Burr Brown PCM1792A It will outplay many famous ones, but they don’t write about it. Since Zodiac Silver is a rare monster, like my active acoustics Braun LV1020, which few people know about
Why do the most expensive and most musical DACs use chips that are already grandfathers?
Today's race for high technical indicators has led to the fact that they forgot about music and sound.
I have been looking for a DAC for a long time that can reproduce the sound of instruments realistically and was looking for something from the High End and as a result, for many years now in my system
Antelope Zodiac Silver, High End, Burr Brown PCM1792A It will outplay many famous ones, but they don’t write about it. Since Zodiac Silver is a rare monster, like my active acoustics Braun LV1020, which few people know about
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Quadaptor!
Active Member
What did I learn? I learned to leave my current DAC alone and use a re-clocker like the SMSL PO100PRO between it and my digital output device (in my case a music library burned to a computer hard drive).
This year I learned that a DAC/HPA stack or combo existed that could power the finicky Hifiman Arya SE headphone and yield highly realistic results actually existed, which to me was flabbergasting news because I collect headphones as a hobby and own many DAC's ranging in price from around forty bucks to over four grand. The Arya did not sound that great with any of them, even though it had a stellar reputation in the high-ish end of the audio business. I was about to give up listening to it at all, when came along SLSM's offering in the upper midrange gear and all I can say is wow, now I see why that phone was so lauded, Listening to the Arya on this system is now pure bliss. We can say all sorts of bad stuff about the Chinese, but we can't say they don't know how to design excellent technology when they put their head to it, and with cost-efficient results to boot. If it were made here in the West this stack would sell for at least twice the amount I paid for it, which is around $1,000 all taxes included.
The price I paid is about $100 more than what Amazon wants for it but I purchased it from a brick and mortar store/service center. My benjamin is a worthy investment comes the time repairs need to be done under warranty (sh1t happens), good luck with that with Amazon especially on Chinese electronics made by companies that don't have service agents here . Fortunately SMSL appears to have a sizeable supply of those on hand here. Don't get me wrong, I kinda like Amazon but buying $1,000 items from them? I don't think so, unless I have no choice. So without further ado I give you two gems of the 200 series from SMSL. I'm rotten at taking pics, the stack is quite larger than it appears to be here and the display is high-res and way more clearer and cleaner looking Anyway here they are:
The price I paid is about $100 more than what Amazon wants for it but I purchased it from a brick and mortar store/service center. My benjamin is a worthy investment comes the time repairs need to be done under warranty (sh1t happens), good luck with that with Amazon especially on Chinese electronics made by companies that don't have service agents here . Fortunately SMSL appears to have a sizeable supply of those on hand here. Don't get me wrong, I kinda like Amazon but buying $1,000 items from them? I don't think so, unless I have no choice. So without further ado I give you two gems of the 200 series from SMSL. I'm rotten at taking pics, the stack is quite larger than it appears to be here and the display is high-res and way more clearer and cleaner looking Anyway here they are:
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