Matrix Mini-i DAC or DACmagic plus
I am now in a position to buy a new DAC, the choices are the DACmagic plus and the Matrix Mini-i, does anyone here have any experience using either as a digital preamp, using the XLR outputs?
Also, how quiet are these DACs in terms of noisefloor, with no input selected, but volume turned up?
The DACmagic would out of neccessity of budget, be second hand, but that is not really a problem for me. The DACmagic has the obvious advntage of more input options, but the Mini-i, has a remote.
I don't know if I can wait long enough for the upcoming ODA with ODAC from NwAvGuy.
What is your budget exactly? I think I have seen a Yulong D100 mkII for less than £300.
How about getting just the ODAC and then buying a nice headphone amp. The ODAC is £60 on it's own (or £100 for the Epiphany E-DAC in a nice enclosure) if I remember correctly.
I need to have a variable output to run my monitors, so unfortunately the Yulong is out of the question, as is a standalone DAC like the ODAC, but the ODA + DAC would do the job nicely when it's finally finished.
Fingers crossed.
Ah sorry about that. Yeah fingers crossed I will get to review it too. My review of the EHP-02D is coming in about a week or two.
I have owned Matrix and the original DacMagic (never heard the Plus). For me Matrix was one of the best budget DACs in the market, and it took me some time to find a worthy replacement at over 3x of its price, even in a relatively expensive system. The original DacMagic wasn't that good by all means. As I could recall Matrix was pretty quite (at least no memories about this, which means it was good in this area), the remote was an excellent feature, and as for the sound quality it was a bit on a warmer side, but not too much, just not to sound bright.
Thank you for the information. I have replaced my DAC and now have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24. It is quieter and is externally powered as opposed to just USB.
Superb for the money!
What is your budget exactly? I think I have seen a Yulong D100 mkII for less than £300.
How about getting just the ODAC and then buying a nice headphone amp. The ODAC is £60 on it's own (or £100 for the Epiphany E-DAC in a nice enclosure) if I remember correctly.
PC>JRiver> DAC/amps: Fiio, Audinst, Yulong, Arcam, Fostex, Audiolab, Schiit, Oppo, Ifi ●
Headphones: D7000, Q701, M80, M100, DT770, DT880, HP100, HP200, Mad Dog, HD650 ●