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Thoughts on super cheap chi-fi brand DACs?

lemon07r

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Googling around I've found a lot of DACs like this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000096636809.html
Only 48 bucks and free shipping for what I quote, is a "ES9038Q2M + XMOS XU208" DAC from some chinese brand called HIFIvv, which I cant seem to find any information on for the life of me. There are a lot of similar DACs like this with outrageous specs and super cheap specs from these unknown chinese brands on sites like ali, ebay, etc. They seem too good to be true, so I want to know what the catch is. Was wondering if we could get a review in on one of these if we haven't gotten one yet.

@amirm I don't mind buying and having one shipped to you if you don't mind paying for the shipping back to me after you're done with the unit.
 

amirm

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Unless they have proper measurements, they are most likely junk. At that cost, it also doesn't pay to ship them back. I have already gotten burned buying some of these only to get stuck with them due to poor performance.
 
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lemon07r

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Unless they have proper measurements, they are most likely junk. At that cost, it also doesn't pay to ship them back. I have already gotten burned buying some of these only to get stuck with them due to poor performance.

I figured they weren't going to be very good but at 50 bucks, but what was I going to find that's better at that price anyways. Sounds like you've already tried cheap DACs like these so I'll save myself the pain and get something else. I got a cheap 2x50w amp once that somehow had worse distortion than my cheap lepai 2020A+ even if I had it turned up only a little so I learned my lesson there.

Which usb desktop dacs for 2.0/2.1ch setups do you recommend at under 100 bucks? I went through the top portion of your sinad chart but pretty much everything was $250+ cept the khadas board, which I can't find anywhere that's shipping to Canada.

I'm looking for a cheap but decent dac for my computer system. Using an smsl sa-98 amp with two monitor audio radius 45 micro-sattelite speakers with a power 10in klipsch subwoofer if it matters.
 
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RayDunzl

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Which ones do you recommend at under 100 bucks?


Maybe roam this thread while waiting for an answer you like.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sinad-vs.9329/#post-243951


PS: Worrying about the top level of SINAD on one piece may not be a productive endeavor unless you have the same levels of precision in all your accompanying devices.

I end up with (maybe) 80 or so here at the speaker inputs, and don't find a fault in the results.

Ambient room noise and speaker distortion probably lower the in-rioom SINAD result another 20dB or so.

---

If headphone listening, maybe a SINAD of 90~100 wouldn't be bad to shoot for in a low budget device.

If using IEMs, I don't know, don't have any experience there, I suppose they could be real sensitive.

---

PPS: See the Shoutometer for my goofball perspective on decibel levels...
 
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lemon07r

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Maybe roam this thread while waiting for an answer you like.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sinad-vs.9329/#post-243951


PS: Worrying about the top level of SINAD on one piece may not be a productive endeavor unless you have the same levels of precision in all your accompanying devices.

I end up with (maybe) 80 or so here at the speaker inputs, and don't find a fault in the results.

Ambient room noise and speaker distortion probably lower the in-rioom SINAD result another 20dB or so.

This was exactly what I was looking for, thank you!
 

RayDunzl

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RayDunzl

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What level of sinad should I aim for

SINAD is only one piece of the puzzle.

Features, connectivity, output levels, formats accepted, sample rates, convenience, looks, price...

I dunno. Too many devices are available for me (who is not shopping) to know much about.

I'll let others take over from here.
 

Willem

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If you want to be strict on the budget limit, there is the OL DAC from JDS Labs. It will be perfectly transparent. I use its ancestor, the legendary ODAC, in my pretty ambitious desktop system and I have no intention of replacing it before it dies. The OL DAC is even a bit better.
 
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