Which DAC measurements do you like to see next?

[HiFiSoundFarts]

Dcs Bartok, Totaldac d1-core, Chord Hugo TT 2.

 

[amirm]

Dcs Bartok, Totaldac d1-core, Chord Hugo TT 2.

In this forum, we have shrimp appetite, but hot dog budget.

 

[Feljor]

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DAC MAGIC 100

 

[amirm]

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DAC MAGIC 100

It is an older design, stopping at 96 kHz. Trusting their specs, SINAD would be only 92 which is pretty poor with respect to DACs at or lower than its price.

 

[Halcyon]

It would be an excellent service to all smartphone users to have an update to the USB-C to 3.5mm headphone DAC dongle offerings.

iBasso DC01 / DC02
https://www.carvelink.com.hk/item/iBasso-DC01平衡解碼耳放線/4899690461265920

HifiMe Tiny Type-C DAC
https://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/tiny-type-c-dac

Hidizs Sonata HD
https://www.hidizs.net/blogs/news/h...with-hi-res-sound-with-sonata-hd-dac-cable-ii

Plussound USB-C
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/plussound-audio-thread.701384/page-74#post-14992442

Iconic Triangle DAC
https://iconic-music.net/product/triangle-high-resolution-usb-c-audio-dac-amplifier-to-3-5-mm/

Venture Eelectronics Odyssey
https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32

 

[amirm]

Hidizs Sonata HD
https://www.hidizs.net/blogs/news/h...with-hi-res-sound-with-sonata-hd-dac-cable-ii

I have this one and will measure it at some point.

 

[amirm]

Venture Eelectronics Odyssey
https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32

This one I already reviewed: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...attle-of-google-pixel-headphone-dongles.4863/

 

[amirm]

I won't be buying more of those dongles. If you want to buy one and have it drop shipped to me, we can organize it.

 

[Zek]

It would be an excellent service to all smartphone users to have an update to the USB-C to 3.5mm headphone DAC dongle offerings.

iBasso DC01 / DC02
https://www.carvelink.com.hk/item/iBasso-DC01平衡解碼耳放線/4899690461265920

HifiMe Tiny Type-C DAC
https://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/tiny-type-c-dac

Hidizs Sonata HD
https://www.hidizs.net/blogs/news/h...with-hi-res-sound-with-sonata-hd-dac-cable-ii

Plussound USB-C
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/plussound-audio-thread.701384/page-74#post-14992442

Iconic Triangle DAC
https://iconic-music.net/product/triangle-high-resolution-usb-c-audio-dac-amplifier-to-3-5-mm/

Venture Eelectronics Odyssey
https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=32

+1 Meizu with DSD64 and DSD128 support
https://www.giztop.com/official-meizu-hi-fi-dac-headphone-adapter.html

 

[eigentone]

I would like to see Denafrips Ares DAC, and would also like to see what happens when you take certain components that have less than SOTA measurements, but that garner high praise from a high percentage of subjective reviewers, and run them thru your (very high quality) reference system for a subjective impression after measuring them. Otherwise, I fail to understand why any DAC should sound subjectively better than the best measuring of the current $100 category DACs, unless it has to do with "euphonic noise" added to signal. Was Nelson Pass who built a (one off) "3rd harmonic generator" to prove a point? (Where the amount was continuously varied with a potentiometer from zero up.)

If you (or anyone) could begin to identify, catalog, and value the (variety of) euphonic distortions that potentially "sweeten" recorded sound it could well be a boon to the activity we audiophiles all share and enjoy, listening to music at home.

Perhaps a better term than "euphonic distortion" would be "compensatory distortion" (offsetting compressions of live sound that are not easily measured, such as scale and dimension).

Am also curious if you have given any thought to this, and if so what that might be.

 

[Veri]

Otherwise, I fail to understand why any DAC should sound subjectively better than the best measuring of the current $100 category DACs, unless it has to do with "euphonic noise" added to signal.

Amplification aside, that's exactly what a DAC should do. A $100 DAC is probably sufficient for just about anyone, more expensive DACs will give you more features or like the SU-8: balanced outputs, D70: SOTA performance in dynamic range and ultra-low jitter/clocks, RME ADI-2: feature galore in EQ/DSP/IEM-specific output etc.

As for the 'sound quality' 'wide sound stage' etc, that is all audio bullshit I'm afraid. A cheaper DAC blind tested against freakish expensive DAC should yield no apparent winner, unless the expensive DAC is obviously different sounding on purpose (which would not be 'reference' and frankly, nothing I'd want to own).

 

[DeepSpace57]

SABAJ D5 looks like the best bang for a single DAC; specs

XLR output:
THD+N 0.0002
Dynamic range 127 db
SNR 120db

The specs say D5 is a more pro device as a DAC than anything under 500 USD. I look forward to seeing an @amirm `s review.

 

[VintageFlanker]

SABAJ D5 looks like the best bang for a single DAC; specs

XLR output:
THD+N 0.0002
Dynamic range 127 db
SNR 120db

The specs say D5 is a more pro device as a DAC than anything under 500 USD. I look forward to seeing an @amirm `s review.

Seems to be incredible package for the price. The internal build looks decent too. However, sometimes official specs are unfortunately far from reality.

 

[starfly]

Seems to be incredible package for the price. The internal build looks decent too. However, sometimes official specs are unfortunately far from reality.

Also looks like the D5 is unreliable. The one review on Amazon shows that it failed for that buyer.

 

[escalibur]

Any Bursons on the horizon?

 

[Rja4000]

Something out of the usual:
Audinate AVIO 1 analog output (ADP-DAO- AU-0X1)
Note: the 2 analog outputs would be even better.
See https://www.audinate.com/products/devices/dante-avio
or
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...p_dao_au_0x2_2_channel_dante_avio_analog.html
(I provided the link to a shop for the price but if that's not allowed here, please just remove it)

That's a Dante (or AES67 RTP) DAC, which can attach and get sound from any Dante-enabled Pro audio device.
Any PC with Dante DVS driver should also work.
You may find the list of companies that propose Dante products here:
https://www.audinate.com/products/dante-enabled/partners

Note: You'll probably need a (any) 1Gb PoE switch.

 

[amirm]

If you (or anyone) could begin to identify, catalog, and value the (variety of) euphonic distortions that potentially "sweeten" recorded sound it could well be a boon to the activity we audiophiles all share and enjoy, listening to music at home.

I have been searching for it in all the usual places but have yet to find any such distortion.

 

[amirm]

Something out of the usual:
Audinate AVIO 1 analog output (ADP-DAO- AU-0X1)
Note: the 2 analog outputs would be even better.
See https://www.audinate.com/products/devices/dante-avio
or
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...p_dao_au_0x2_2_channel_dante_avio_analog.html
(I provided the link to a shop for the price but if that's not allowed here, please just remove it)

That's a Dante DAC, which can attach and get sound from any Dante-enabled Pro audio device.
You may find the list of companies that propose Dante products here:
https://www.audinate.com/products/dante-enabled/partners

Note: You'll probably need a (any) 1Gb PoE switch.

No issues with the links. What is the cheapest host solution to talk to these?

 

[Rja4000]

No issues with the links. What is the cheapest host solution to talk to these?

I guess that's their DVS ("Virtual Sound Card"). It comes with an ASIO driver, and there is a 30 days license for $10.
https://www.audinate.com/products/software/dante-virtual-soundcard
I didn't check that though. But they say it's compatible with any Dante product, and this is one.
I own several Dante products, including the DVS, but not any AVIO yet.
I will ask the support for confirmation.

DVS supports "16, 24 and 32-bit audio at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4** and 192** kHz" (with some tricks)

You have to select one clock rate for the whole network though.
No "on the fly" clock change.
Dante is meant for big setups, like big festival with one FOH mixer, one monitoring mixer on stage and another mixer for broacasting, + several stage boxes with preamps, powermps and so on... So you don't want to change the clock of the whole setup by mistake...

You will also need the Dante Controller software (Free) - which is, basically, a routing matrix, where you set-up the clock rate and which source talks to which destination(s) (Mutli casting is possible)

 

[FireLion]

The xDuoo TA-10 that made Zeos cry, well the tube I loaned him actually contributed to that and the fact he is keeping it says something.

It's definitely a step above the smaller TA-01 and I prefer it sonically over the LCX-SDAC even if it's not as powerful. Thankfully SE gets the same power as the Balanced output, unlike the current trend of lazy design which lower SE power to make balanced more appealing.