DAC upgrade likely to provide any discernible improvements??

[arclight73]

Actually the DAC chip does matter in how it interpolates and does it's conversions. It is the sum of the whole that is important, not just one part.

I agree it is the sum of the whole. This is not really an issue with modern DAC's. Even the lower end DAC's perform really well when implemented properly with a good analog output stage. The analog output will determine the biggest difference in sound assuming all else is properly implemented.

 

[E.Auer]

I am currently listening to this DAC - an SMSL M8. I am very surprised by it. I can't hear as much jitter in this one. The 2nd pic shows how small it is compared the integrated amp I am using

View attachment 925286 View attachment 925287

S.M.S.L. seems to get mostly good reviews as a whole.

The Sanskrit Pro looks very interesting too.

Eric

 

[SoNic67]

The M8 uses the ESS ES9018K2M chip. ESS has paid a lot of attention to jitter reduction and included in their chip a whole circuit that deals with that (they called it "Time Domain Jitter Eliminator"). It's better than many Delta-Sigma DAC's on the market, better than that results can be obtained only with more expensive DSP's (audio processors)...

I still prefer my PCM63J-K's fed by the SPDIF iPurifier

 

[for_p1]

My "digital system" consists of an iMac to a DragonFly [early] DAC, onto a Marantz SR4023 receiver, into a pair of ADS 630 Speakers.

I use it for streaming Pandora etc., DVD watching [especially music/concert DVD]. I am not really unhappy with the sound quality…… but wonder if an upgraded DAC would improve the overall sound in a way that I'm likely to be able to discern??

If the answer is yes…. then recommendations on DAC's that won't break the bank and take into account the limitations of the rest of the system upstream and down?

Thanks
Mike

If you want DVD audio processing, then you will need DAC that can do DD and DTS. Best option is to get AV processor. Integra or Marantz are good, but expensive. Emotiva XMC-1 also may work for you. If price seems excessive, then get AV Receiver that has pre-amp outputs, I would choose Denon for that. Keep in mind that most concert DVDs are mastered in surround 5.1 or 7.1 and should be heard that way. Thus the rest of your system should be built for that.

 

[Five77]

Great read you guys...now if the musicians we love to here would quit drinking so much coffee, they would also play with less jitter and get their ESS's on the right 'track'!

 

[Five77]

This SMSL DAC is actually pretty good, really good actually. The jitter is from your PC being on too much caffeine

I will stick with decaffeinated DACMagic 100 with a bit of "Cream"!

 

[ldatlof]

The M8 uses the ESS ES9018K2M chip. ESS has paid a lot of attention to jitter reduction and included in their chip a whole circuit that deals with that (they called it "Time Domain Jitter Eliminator"). It's better than many Delta-Sigma DAC's on the market, better than that results can be obtained only with more expensive DSP's (audio processors)...

I still prefer my PCM63J-K's fed by the SPDIF iPurifier

Good to know that there is some sort of jitter reduction in the DAC I put in my system a few weeks ago. I like what I am hearing.

 

[E.Auer]

This has the same chip as the M8, was thinking of getting one for my CCA.

Should hide away nicely.

Eric

 

[ldatlof]

This has the same chip as the M8, was thinking of getting one for my CCA.

Should hide away nicely.

Eric

That's the the one I am using. It's very easy to hide because it is tiny. I originally bought it for my CCA.

 

[SoNic67]

192, 96... who cares. It's still the same in the end.

 

[E.Auer]

The M8 uses the ESS ES9018K2M chip. ESS has paid a lot of attention to jitter reduction and included in their chip a whole circuit that deals with that (they called it "Time Domain Jitter Eliminator"). It's better than many Delta-Sigma DAC's on the market, better than that results can be obtained only with more expensive DSP's (audio processors)...

I still prefer my PCM63J-K's fed by the SPDIF iPurifier

This is for the Hifime Sabre 9018, means little to me but here it is:

Eric

 

[ldatlof]

Just remember, the SPDIF source has to put out up to 192.24 otherwise it is 96/24 is max.

I just played a 24/96 and a 24/192 file without any problems. The set up is a Behringer UCA-202 USB Interface plugged into a netbook's usb port and a Hifime Optical 9018 DAC plugged into the Behringer's SPDIF port. I am surprised that the cheap Behringer can output 24/192. Or is there some sort of down sampling going on that I am not aware of?

 

[ldatlof]

It can't - it was down sampling.

That is what I figured. Good to have confirmation. Good thing I don't have many hi-res files. I had to download the the 24/192 file.

 

[nostatic]

Schiit is the manufacturer who are building various lines of audio gear that makes the attempt to exceed their price point in terms of performance. USA made.

Modi and Modi Multibit are their budget line of DAC's, both of which would fit your budget it seems.
http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

Agreed. I have owned the Modi Uber 2 and the Bitfrost Uber 4490, and they are both excellent. Great values for the money. There is about a $200 difference between them, and for me it was worth it to step up to the Bitfrost. But for $150, you can't go wrong with the Modi 2 Uber.

 

[LWB]

I have an Audioengine D1 at my computer. It was noticeably improved by putting a Jitterbug at the USB hub between the hub and the Audioengine D1 USB connection. But even with the improvement from the Jitterbug, I think the digital optical out from my Apple Airport Express sounds better, feeding a custom-built headphone amp in another room (computer noise isn't an issue with the D1). I also have a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic Plus in my basement system. It sounds no better to my ears than the current Airport Express DAC so I took it out of the chain, though it was an improvement over an early Airport Express that I recently replaced. I think Apple's DAC's built into their current gear is pretty hard to beat.

 

[Bevancourt]

I've got to agree that the preamplification is underrated. I have a Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2 and with the Sparkos opamp upgrade it is a different beast entirely. And rolling tubes to gain a slight modification to the sound is nice too.