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Bargain DAC Suggestions?

Jimster480

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Here's a real bargain :) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-USB-2...annel-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-A/263307567868

It'd be an interesting to do a "Best of the Worst" round-up :)
I actually have one like that which I used to use for Ventrilo/Mumble back in the day... I paid around $2, and honestly the sound quality was pretty horrible. But since it was only for voice chat it worked out perfect for me.
I wouldn't use one of these to listen to music, but it might be interesting to test the modern ones to see if they have improved significantly.
 
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amirm

amirm

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What?

upload_2018-3-13_15-32-56.png


How can it be 99 cents including shipping???
 

RayDunzl

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How can it be 99 cents including shipping???

Shipped from China, no less...

Must be an example of dumping...

Let's slam a 25% import tariff on it and show them who's Boss!

Bonus Question:

How many will fit in a 45' Standard Intermodal Container?

Bonus Question #2:

Did you order one yet?
 

newton

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It'd be an interesting to do a "Best of the Worst" round-up :)

Some wild, *cheap* (in several ways) DACs on eBay for certain. And not just PCM2704-on-a-board: https://www.ebay.com/itm/132270433862

A 1990s-era Philips TDA1305 "bitstream" chip paired with a PCM2706 (for USB, signal pushed along via I2S) in 2018? Why not!

edit: Oh yeah I ordered one for kicks a month and some change ago, showed up yesterday. Subjective mini-review: sounds come out of it and I can recognize these sounds as music that I like. Louder than my laptop!
 
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amirm

amirm

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Let's slam a 25% import tariff on it and show them who's Boss!
It is not made out of aluminum or steel. So the current proposed tariffs don't work. We would have to tax plastics and there would be hell to pay for that!!! :D
 
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amirm

amirm

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stunta

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For date of delivery it said it could be as late as May 2nd!

Expect it to arrive in a bottle and pick up is at the beach.
 

duo8

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That kinda looks like the one that was reported to fry headphones.
But then a lot of them look similar.

EDIT: It could get cheaper

wow.png
 
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What? I got ripped off by paying 20 cents more??? :D

Yeah, but you get those volume, mute buttons, and LEDs. I mean since you'll be using this daily, it's really worth splurging.
 

RayDunzl

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duo8

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FiiO Q1 mkII seems to be a popular choice for portable setups these days.
Curious how their "ADC reconstruction" volume control works.
 

bhigh

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Oh I did not realize the monoprice was using the same technology. They are promising 4/15 date which is much more hopeful than Massdrop.

The Monoprice is a AAA-788 vs. AAA-789. It's got about 1/4 the power output of the Massdrop unit.

I've decided to get the Massdrop amp. The long delay will give me time to get a better DAC.
 
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I don't really understand the purpose of these overpowered AMPs. I can make my Monoprice M1060 uncomfortable loud on the low-gain setting at half volume. And I have no issue driving the AKG K7xx either.
 
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amirm

amirm

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FiiO Q1 mkII seems to be a popular choice for portable setups these days.
Curious how their "ADC reconstruction" volume control works.
Seems like it is sampling output and calibrating the gain on the two channels. If so, that is pretty sophisticated for a little box! Once I get through my backlog I might order it and see how well it does.
 
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