No way to get auditions. I have posted in the friends' group as well if anyone has either so I can try and make a trip or convince them to send it to me.
A mid-budget DAC that doesn't colour sound?
- Thread starter chander
- Start date
@chander
w.r.t Soekris
If your requirement is just XLR out, then you can attempt a DIY with 1021/1121 module.
If the requirement is for a fully balanced chain, then you would need 1941 module or the 2541 FBU
Cheers,
Raghu
Chord I have tried - cutest, mojo (owned) and Hugo. They are very nice sounding DACs - they make the music beautiful, but I personally FEEL they are fairly "colored/enhanced?", when it comes to representation. I might be wrong as I have never used them in a very high end resolving system.
But I want to get something a bit more - truer to the source.
If you value convenience and features over everything else, the RME ADI-2 is hard to beat (it reminds me of the discussion on the hifirose in the other thread). Even though it ever so slightly exceeds the defined budget, Consider that maverick flew below (or above in this case) the hard deck when it was necessary.Hi guys,
As the bug to try something new has bit me again (not for discontent - but rather for 'why not'); I have booked myself a Apollon Audio amp; that I should have by May if nothing changes as far as COVID is concerned and AL6000a is on the way out. Now considering I want to keep BlueSound Node 2i as my source/preamp (till I can collect enough to buy the HiFi Rose Streamers) I am looking for a DAC to neutralise the DAC in the NODE 2i. Balanced output will be a plus as Apollon has Balanced In.
The requirements are -
1 - Budget upto 1L - Hard Stop - would prefer something cheaper.
2 - Should be a neutral/un-colored sounding or should be able to clean up what comes out of the Node 2i. I am fine with Neutral-ish sounding things, do not like bright sound at all and not a big fan of very warm sound. So something that is closer to neutral.
***I have been out of the desktop DAC game for a while - so absolutely unaware of what is great today.
Please help!
Also, if you are interested in headphones/earphones, the RME's headphone amp section is pretty darn competent, especially in view of the available customisations such as cross feed, stereo width etc.
Consider its full list of features to gauge whether its the right DAC for you.
Some of the features that i found invaluable are:
1. Auto loading of loudness when the volume falls below a User definable volume (loudness curve i.e. q factor and the trigger frequency for bass and treble is also fully customizable)
2. Control of bass, treble, (including loading of EQ), and Channel Balance available on the remote. Plus, the remote keys can be fully remapped to any function.
3. Auto switching of input/output upon detection
4. 5 band PEQ (it is a revelation! hugely customisable for every single frequency between 20hz to 20,000 hz. Fixed my HE400i which had a weak bottom end. Also invaluable for adjusting frequency response to neutralise the effect of the room on my stereo setup)
5. LCD screen with realtime Visualizer and Horizontal Meters Displaying Pre/Post FX information (while the visualizer in itself makes it wirth getting the device, the horizontal meters are also extremely helpful to detect if the output signal is clipping, hence resulting in compressed dynamics).
6. Weighted reference volume levels at +6db steps (the DAC makes a barely audible but oddly satisfying click when these setps are reached) to ensure that dynamics do not get compressed while modulating volume.
7. Separate outputs for 6.3mm and 3.5mm headphones(which is a low powered output).
Plus it meets your criteria of an extremely neutral and uncoloured DAC.
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For now - I have directed my efforts towards researching (shortlisted) - In the order of preference - purely based on reports, reviews (no measurement) & features that work for me. These might change the order as I go deeper.
RME ADI 2SE - GBP 935 - UK Thomann
Soekris - 2541 - EUR 1250 Direct
Denafrips Aries II - INR 90K HPZ
Topping D90Se - USD 900 - HK Local - I would like to keep this higher in the list at #2, however I have read a fair few issues in reviews in random selling websites where people are complaining about coax giving issues with multiple devices. That limits the usability seriously if I want to have more than 1 source.
**
****Any others I can add to these
RME ADI 2SE - GBP 935 - UK Thomann
Soekris - 2541 - EUR 1250 Direct
Denafrips Aries II - INR 90K HPZ
Topping D90Se - USD 900 - HK Local - I would like to keep this higher in the list at #2, however I have read a fair few issues in reviews in random selling websites where people are complaining about coax giving issues with multiple devices. That limits the usability seriously if I want to have more than 1 source.
**
****Any others I can add to these
What are your sources ?
Ok, I haven't tried the Mojo, but owned Hugo TT and Qutest. I wouldn't say they are colored, yes they are very revealing. However some don't prefer this, and that's fine.
Cheers,
Sid
Yup my thoughts exactly - specially the #7 and #2; love them. Do you have this? Did you manage to buy this in India and where?
- My source - currently is a BlueSound Node 2i which remains till I find a better streamer - post this phase 1 of changing speakers and amps.
- My MacBook Air M1 for all the Hi-Res files I own.
- A CD player that will be here in 2 weeks.
**for now spotify only - but trying to get my Qobuz activated again once I have these things in place.
For now that is it.
Sadly in my system - AL 6000a + Tannoy Mercury M5 & QA C20s they all always muddied the bass a bit and made it kind of linger everywhere. I had better luck with the Schiit DACs (forgot the models) but then they have their own limitations. Could be my settings, setup or just gear. But seems Chord doesn't agree with my ears.
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Yes! Headphone Zone. Consider that they give a 5% cashback which you can use to get new XLR cables
.Its a marvelous marvelous device. Made me into more of a couch potato than i already was!
P.S: I cannot emphasize enough how good #7 i.e. the visualizer is!
Enkay78
Well-Known Member
Hmmmm:
Wanted features:
Transparent and true to source ......meaning low noise
No colouration of source.......meaning low distortions
Well, with the stated budget I can highly recommend this
TOPPING D90SE. If you buy it from shenzenaudio itself you will get it much cheaper than headphonezone. And you won't regret it.
I have it. And it's measurements and low noise/ distortions are SOTA.
Wanted features:
Transparent and true to source ......meaning low noise
No colouration of source.......meaning low distortions
Well, with the stated budget I can highly recommend this
TOPPING D90SE. If you buy it from shenzenaudio itself you will get it much cheaper than headphonezone. And you won't regret it.
I have it. And it's measurements and low noise/ distortions are SOTA.
amrutmhatre90
Well-Known Member
I know someone selling a D90, don't know if it is a SE or any other model.
Not yet finalised the model leaning towards RME/Denafrips for local presence.
Did you escape duty n GST? Also the only issue for me is the three letters ESS...somehow have never had good handshake with these chips...
I too have had difficulty with ESS Sabre chips earlier. KTB was the worst sounding, a base model SMSL was not too appealing either.
But the newer ES9068AS chip in recent models is quite good. Not bright or tingly at all. Maybe they have worked on this aspect.
Recently had Topping E50 for a spin in my system.
On the main rig with Lyrita/AKSA/KEF when used in DAC only mode it was good at low volume but seemed to lose the plot when cranked up.
Depth of sound disappeared and presentation was up front.
On another system (different components, room) when used as a DAC/Pre it was pretty good.
Cheers,
Raghu
AKM has started their production and are back in business !!!!
Hope, Kannan likes this three letters and soon Devices will see AKM chips in them.
AKM develops advanced VELVET SOUND 32-bit, 2-ch premium audio D/A converters AK4493S and AK4490R | Archives 2022 | News | About AKM | Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM)
Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation (AKM) has redesigned the AK4490 D/A converter (DAC) and its higher-end counterpart, AK4493, as new products under the VELVET SOUND brand.
sandeepmohan
Well-Known Member
DAC's are a tricky space. I have realized that at the budget end of the spectrum, there is very little one can differentiate between DAC's. Once you start at the price points you're aiming at, its a similar story. There are wide range of options and its impossible to compare them side by side, which makes it hard to judge the sound.
One that I did fancy was a Schiit Modius. Its budget grade and I liked the sound out of this thing. To my ears, it did no pollute the sound at all. I did not buy one. However; after listening to the Modius, I got thinking about what their more expensive dac's would sound like. It can only be better than the Modius, which is a good starting point.
I'd give Schiit a go if you have not already.
One that I did fancy was a Schiit Modius. Its budget grade and I liked the sound out of this thing. To my ears, it did no pollute the sound at all. I did not buy one. However; after listening to the Modius, I got thinking about what their more expensive dac's would sound like. It can only be better than the Modius, which is a good starting point.
I'd give Schiit a go if you have not already.
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