DAC setup for home system

[Jgm4661]

Hi,

Glad to have found this site for all the great reviews and help for the newbies. I try to buy all my audio components based on measurables and these reviews and the SINAM chart have been really helpful. There are many web articles recommending " best DACs for < $100 etc' but they are very light on actual specs. So grateful for these reviews once again.

I just got a new laptop and want to use it as sort of a media center. For the audio portion, I want to do this.

HD tunes ( 24 bit his res audio), Youtube videos, maybe Netflix and other apps > USB out> DAC> rca audio out > home stereo amp

All I really want are the DAC and the 2 rca output ( vs 3.5mm jack) but other outputs are ok. Can use my home stereo amp for headphones.

1) Given the HD audio, would a DAC w a SINAM of ~ 100 - 105 be ok? Budget of ~ < $130 There seem to be many great options. From my readings so far looking at the Topping D10, SMSL M100 or Sanskirit. Please advise.

2) Please let me know of any other ideas to get the best sound from this setup. I may get another router so pc is wired vs wireless.

Thanks for any help and ideas.

 

[L5730]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's great to have all of these published measurements. One can only make so much out of other people's subjective reviews, but a set of measurements goes a long way.

Khadas Toneboard or Topping D10 look like great solutions for something that takes a USB input and puts out high quality analogue stereo audio on RCA connectors.

You don't mention what software you intend to use or what operating system, but I can confirm the Topping D10 has been trouble free with Windows 10 Pro and foobar2000. It's also largely fine with Volumio on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ as well, even streaming uPnP from foobar2000 on the PC to the RPi - so there is a nice potential solution for a DIY wireless DAC

WiFi is fine providing you have bandwidth for the services you require.

If you feel like you need more features there are other devices around, but for what you require I wouldn't look any further than the two devices I mention. Just be a little careful picking up a Topping D10 - there seems to be a counterfeit item being sent out from Amazon sellers instead for the Topping item

 

[Wes]

WiI also prevents any noise in the server from reaching the DAC - it should be fine for HiRes 24 bit as video signals travel by WiFi often.

Do you have a good WiFi "connection"?

 

[Jgm4661]

Hi and welcome to the forum. It's great to have all of these published measurements. One can only make so much out of other people's subjective reviews, but a set of measurements goes a long way.

Khadas Toneboard or Topping D10 look like great solutions for something that takes a USB input and puts out high quality analogue stereo audio on RCA connectors.

You don't mention what software you intend to use or what operating system, but I can confirm the Topping D10 has been trouble free with Windows 10 Pro and foobar2000. It's also largely fine with Volumio on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ as well, even streaming uPnP from foobar2000 on the PC to the RPi - so there is a nice potential solution for a DIY wireless DAC

WiFi is fine providing you have bandwidth for the services you require.

If you feel like you need more features there are other devices around, but for what you require I wouldn't look any further than the two devices I mention. Just be a little careful picking up a Topping D10 - there seems to be a counterfeit item being sent out from Amazon sellers instead for the Topping item

Hi and thanks. The measurement and other 'explained' articles are also very helpful here too btw. I can get teh SINAD type measurements so I am in the right general ballpark for understanding this equipment. Most of the other specs and graphs are a little beyond me at this stage lol.

I have a new Win 10 laptop Acer Aspire 3. Thanks for the DAC help and both look like good options. May go Topping as it has a case lol. Will research the sellers too. Thanks for the sw mentions as well.

Looking forward to playing 4k movies on the hdtv as well (cable here is 1080p) and having a keyboard to access content & the internet. I figured out how to do the screen mirroring, if the TV had hdmi 2.0 etc, connect a wireless keyboard and have a high speed hdmi cable so that part was easy. Really looking forward to having a large screen for the PC movies too. I didn't like the smart apps on the TV ( you can't skip through movies on their players) or the limits of the Roku remotes (still hard to type in searches vs a full pc keyboard.

Having a full keyboard is great and it is more comfortable watching movies on the couch vs at a pc desk. Finally getting up to date w the latest tv , internet and audio technology

 

[Jgm4661]

WiI also prevents any noise in the server from reaching the DAC - it should be fine for HiRes 24 bit as video signals travel by WiFi often.

Do you have a good WiFi "connection"?

Hi. I have I believe it is 80211.n. It is up to 10Mbps so should be ok. I read that wired are the best for reducing video lag but will try and only look at a router if I see any lag. Youtube movies should be ok.

 

[Voxy]

Just a question on Tidal MQA, if I use my IPAd as source, do I need a MQA certified DAC for to decode it?

 

[NTomokawa]

Topping D10, SMSL M100 or Sanskirit

I'd say Topping D10 because I've owned one. Beware of fakes, however.

Honestly there will not be any audible differences among these three devices. The new Sanskrit measures better but not audibly.

 

[Jgm4661]

I'd say Topping D10 because I've owned one. Beware of fakes, however.

Honestly there will not be any audible differences among these three devices. The new Sanskrit measures better but not audibly.

Thanks. Topping D10 or maybe even the Khadas Toneboard. I have an integrated amp w a volume control so wanted to ensure the line out was a set level as some units have a volume control for the line out. Then will look at trying to find any sites that have free HD audio files to play.