• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

DAC recommendations?

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
Hello,

Newbie here. I've been lurking here reading for a few months now and wanting some guidance if some of you would be so kind. I'm in need of a good / great quality DAC with volume control that is bluetooth compatible (aptx hd a bonus). Price range 300 dollars or less. It's not absolutely necessary that it have a headphone amp but that's a bonus as well. Most of my music is played from my phone via Tidal and I am needing to find a good DAC to use with my amplifier. There are so many choices to wad through between Topping, SMSL, and countless others that it's hard to make a choice. I appreciate any help in a certain direction!
 
OP
T

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
Take a look at the Topping D50S.

It measures very well, has a built in Display, built in BT and a remote control. It would also look nice along side an amplifier.

Thank you for the recommendation. Follow up question for you sir. In your opinion would something like the Topping P50 linear power supply be worth the upgrade / additional cost (120 dollars) to power the D50s? Or is that nominal improvement most would not be able to notice?
 

Beershaun

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
1,864
Likes
1,910
Can I humbly suggest you set up a raspberry pi as a music streaming endpoint to plug into your dac via USB so you can stream via wifi instead of bluetooth. that will allow you to send the original files directly to your stereo instead of having them converted to bluetooth and then sent via your phone to the stereo. I use Moode player freeware on my raspberry pi and can send Tidal wirelessly to it via the bubbleupnp app. Also supports airplay if you are an iPhone user.
 

Sukie

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
928
Likes
1,467
Location
UK
Thank you for the recommendation. Follow up question for you sir. In your opinion would something like the Topping P50 linear power supply be worth the upgrade / additional cost (120 dollars) to power the D50s? Or is that nominal improvement most would not be able to notice?
I use the D50s and have no problems with standard power supply. I'd save the money. You could even spend the savings on a Raspberry Pi (see @Beershaun's post) and still have change left!
 
OP
T

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
@Themarklar81 just out of curiosity which phone & any particular app? Also are you in MQA bandwagon?

My phone is a One Plus 8 Pro.

I am so new to this I don't know if I'm on the MQA bandwagon or not. To be frank I am googling raspberry pi now (from above posts) and trying to keep up.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
Oh. And Tidal is what I'm using right now.
Huh that's a nut case (Tidal - MQA), suitable more for portable gear still, especially in that price category. Pi starting to sound more & more reasonable.
 
OP
T

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
Huh that's a nut case (Tidal - MQA), suitable more for portable gear still, especially in that price category. Pi starting to sound more & more reasonable.

I have looked on Amazon and there are once again way too many options. Suggestions on the right raspberry pi kit on amazon to setup this music streaming endpoint?

Also, to make sure I'm understanding this setup properly, the idea would be to access Tidal from the raspberry pi via wifi (and I presume I can simply connect the raspberry pi via HDMI to my living room TV as my monitor to interface with Tidal) and then connect the raspberry pi via USB to the Topping D50s, which is then sent line out to my amplifier, yes?

I guess I'm a little confused on the need for the Moode player on the raspberry pi and the bubbleupnp app? I appreciate your patience, I am definitely a novice at this stuff still.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
I have looked on Amazon and there are once again way too many options. Suggestions on the right raspberry pi kit on amazon to setup this music streaming endpoint?

Also, to make sure I'm understanding this setup properly, the idea would be to access Tidal from the raspberry pi via wifi (and I presume I can simply connect the raspberry pi via HDMI to my living room TV as my monitor to interface with Tidal) and then connect the raspberry pi via USB to the Topping D50s, which is then sent line out to my amplifier, yes?

I guess I'm a little confused on the need for the Moode player on the raspberry pi and the bubbleupnp app? I appreciate your patience, I am definitely a novice at this stuff still.
I am not a Pi guy but yes along with software part that's about it. You could use & an Android TV box with usb audio (2.0) support I guess. With Coax/SPDIF even better.
 
Last edited:
OP
T

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
Can I humbly suggest you set up a raspberry pi as a music streaming endpoint to plug into your dac via USB so you can stream via wifi instead of bluetooth. that will allow you to send the original files directly to your stereo instead of having them converted to bluetooth and then sent via your phone to the stereo. I use Moode player freeware on my raspberry pi and can send Tidal wirelessly to it via the bubbleupnp app. Also supports airplay if you are an iPhone user.

Recommendation on a raspberry pi kit on Amazon to accomplish this?
 

0bs3rv3r

Active Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2019
Messages
248
Likes
234
I guess I'm a little confused on the need for the Moode player on the raspberry pi and the bubbleupnp app?

One of the "extra" functions provided by the moOde software is upnp/dlna. So, this means you can run bubbleupnp, connect to Tidal to choose your music, and send the music to moOde as the renderer. MoOde then sends it to the DAC via the USB interface.

The upnp/dlna stuff is all via Wifi/ethernet, and so does not compromise the quality the way Bluetooth does.
 
OP
T

Themarklar81

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
10
Likes
1
One of the "extra" functions provided by the moOde software is upnp/dlna. So, this means you can run bubbleupnp, connect to Tidal to choose your music, and send the music to moOde as the renderer. MoOde then sends it to the DAC via the USB interface.

The upnp/dlna stuff is all via Wifi/ethernet, and so does not compromise the quality the way Bluetooth does.

Excellent, thank you for the info. As luck would have it I actually have an ethernet port right behind my living room stand that isn't currently being used. I assume that would be as good or better to connect the rPi to versus the wifi option? Or is sound quality about equal between the two?
 
Top Bottom