The Sub is dead, long live the DAC
Well, my sub has died and cannot be replaced like for like, so I have decided to get a DAC instead. The UA-25 does a fine job, but is USB powered, so needs the computer to be switched on, to work.
I would like opinions on relevant DACs that you might have experience with, or even if you know of any products that would suit the following criteria....
Multiple optical inputs, ie, more than one, I'm not interested in Coax.
USB, asynchronous operation and will ideally accept high resolution, though not a deal breaker.
XLR outs, variable output, to drive a pair of monitors.
I have on my (short) list, Dacmagic plus, Matrix mini-i, TEAC UD-HO1 (variable output on the XLRs?)
Is there anything else glaringly obvious that I have missed?
Thanks
Dacmagic Plus money and that DAC seems to be the only one fitting the bill so far.
Your main problem is wanting more than one optical input. The only other model that I know of that has two opticals and everything else you want is the Audiolab M-DAC. If you drop that requiremtent then apart from the Matrix & TEAC that you mention there is also:
● Asus Xonar Essence One
● Yulong D100
I am extremely happy with the latter. If your budget could stretch to £450 then there is also the Matrix Quattro DAC. Maybe you will find the list I did on DAC / amps useful... Click Here
The DM+ has four inputs effectively; one USB, two which can be optical or coax, and one for the bluetooth receiver. If the old DM is anything to go by, you can sort of double up the two opt/coax ones, but you have to ubplug and replug to get it to recgnise the switch between the two, which is probably a bit of a PITA for most people...
The idea is to have the DAC with a Sonos connected for streaming, the Mac for occasional music playback and DVD. I suppose a second optical input is unneccessary as long as the USB input is good.
Variable output level at the XLR out, is imperitive though.
The idea is to have the DAC with a Sonos connected for streaming, the Mac for occasional music playback and DVD. I suppose a second optical input is unneccessary as long as the USB input is good.
Variable output level at the XLR out, is imperitive though.
There you go then, sounds ideal. The variable output is digital obviously, but you may not intuitively be bothered about that. I was, hence getting a 651A to go with the Stream Magic so I could control analogue volume instead.
The idea is to have the DAC with a Sonos connected for streaming, the Mac for occasional music playback and DVD. I suppose a second optical input is unneccessary as long as the USB input is good.
Variable output level at the XLR out, is imperitive though.
There you go then, sounds ideal. The variable output is digital obviously, but you may not intuitively be bothered about that.
It shouldn't matter if it's upsampled surely?
The idea is to have the DAC with a Sonos connected for streaming, the Mac for occasional music playback and DVD. I suppose a second optical input is unneccessary as long as the USB input is good.
Variable output level at the XLR out, is imperitive though.
There you go then, sounds ideal. The variable output is digital obviously, but you may not intuitively be bothered about that.
It shouldn't matter if it's upsampled surely?
Dunno, it's just one of my audiophool OCD things. Analogue Volume Good! Digital Volume Bad!
Slightly off topic, but what does a 24/192 track sound like through a 24/96 DAC? Will it even outut anything at all?
The reason for asking, is that I ripped a DVD-A of Handels Water music to FLAC and I have a suspiscion that its 24/192, as I can only hear 'digital screeching' a bit like when loading a cassette in an old style computer, or ringing a fax line.
Talking OCD, I have just revisited the pro audio range for something compatible, an upgrade to my DAC is the UA-66, but it's a ghastly red, definitely not Feng Shui! It does have mostly everything else that I need though.
Slightly off topic, but what does a 24/192 track sound like through a 24/96 DAC? Will it even outut anything at all?
The reason for asking, is that I ripped a DVD-A of Handels Water music to FLAC and I have a suspiscion that its 24/192, as I can only hear 'digital screeching' a bit like when loading a cassette in an old style computer, or ringing a fax line.
Talking OCD, I have just revisited the pro audio range for something compatible, an upgrade to my DAC is the UA-66, but it's a ghastly red, definitely not Feng Shui! It does have mostly everything else that I need though.
It depends on whether the 24/96 DAC is capable of taking a 24/192 signal and downsampling it. Most will nowadays I think, but it's worth checking. Fairly sure the DM+ will accept a 192 signal, for example.
Talking OCD, I have just revisited the pro audio range for something compatible, an upgrade to my DAC is the UA-66, but it's a ghastly red, definitely not Feng Shui! It does have mostly everything else that I need though.
Oh dear. 
As in...oh dear oh dear oh dear*?
*see also: oops.
No, the paint joke thing...anyway... 
Two more candidates have come onto the radar.
M-Audio Profire 610, firewire and 24/192
Focusrite Sapphire Pro 24/Pro 24DSP, firewire and 24/96
Both have external power, so should work independently from the computer.
Anyone had any experience with these?
Two more candidates have come onto the radar.
M-Audio Profire 610, firewire and 24/192
Focusrite Sapphire Pro 24/Pro 24DSP, firewire and 24/96
Both have external power, so should work independently from the computer.
Anyone had any experience with these?
Fraid not OD but the M-Audio looks to have decent customer reviews if your not running Windows, check zzounds.com
Like you say either should work independantly but still need to be connected via the Firewire though cables can be upto 25 meters.
No XLR outs on either of them though only line outs.
The market is rife with DAC's around this price, so which to go for...Matrix looks interesting...
It's a tricky one, lots of choice in the pro and consumer markets. Regarding the line outs though, there are all balanced, but through 1/4" jacks. I use 1/4" to XLR for the UA-25.
Anyway, it's currently a moot point, as I just had to fork out for a replacement laptop, so the DAC upgrade will wait, for now.......
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Hi, I know that the teac has no variable output on xlr or rca but boot sure on the matrix. What do you have in mind for budget?
Phil - Custom Cable Service and Unilet Sound and Vision, South-West London