• 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 with tone control

sjeesjie

Active Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2020
Messages
238
Likes
133
I don’t know what it is about DACs, but they somehow have this attraction to me. The controversy, the hunt for the perfect SINAD, the technology.
Anyhow, at the moment there’s the RME-ADI that has me interested in switching from Topping. Why is this? The Eq. It’s a very pro-looking device though. I’m more into discrete looks.

So this got me wondering.. 99.99% of all dacs offer nothing really special on behalf of tone control. The included filters at least don’t do anything really audible. You know, the sharp rolloff, the brick wall, all that stuff, yawn.

Why aren’t there any presets anymore that really mean something? Maybe do something in the Eq. Remember the rock/jazz/hall filters of yesteryear? Something like that, but maybe more subtle. You know what audiophiles always say? The bass is strong, the midrange is meaty. Catch those in a filter that’s easily accessible and you have a goldmine on your hands.

Or should I just but a Schiit Loki and be done?
 
Last edited:

Nonick

Active Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
144
Likes
89
SMSL DO200 has tone controls (as you wrote in your post " ...rock/jazz/hall filters of yesteryear...")
There are 9 sound color settings in DO200.
Rich1、 Rich2、 Rich3
Tube1、 Tube2、 Tube3
Crystal1、 Crystal2、 Crystal3
This setting is usingthe DSP of ES9068AS, to make some different sound color, all of these settings will not change the frequency response curve.When set to "Standard", this setting will be bypassed.

I'm still considering which DAC to get: Topping EX5 or SMSL DO200.
Would be useful if DO200 owners could share their experience here.
 
OP
S

sjeesjie

Active Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2020
Messages
238
Likes
133
SMSL DO200 has tone controls (as you wrote in your post " ...rock/jazz/hall filters of yesteryear...")
There are 9 sound color settings in DO200.
Rich1、 Rich2、 Rich3
Tube1、 Tube2、 Tube3
Crystal1、 Crystal2、 Crystal3
This setting is usingthe DSP of ES9068AS, to make some different sound color, all of these settings will not change the frequency response curve.When set to "Standard", this setting will be bypassed.

I'm still considering which DAC to get: Topping EX5 or SMSL DO200.
Would be useful if DO200 owners could share their experience here.
Those SMSL presets look perfect indeed!
 

ampguy

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
Messages
268
Likes
152
Location
US
Question - are there any known dacs, preferably with great specs like the recent toppings/smsl etc. from the last year or two, that do have digital or analog EQ? Here's the reason -- please no judgement -- I prefer a bass shelf of + 6db or so sloping down at 200hz, then flat to maybe 9k, then a 6 or 12db /octave low pass. These numbers will vary slightly, as I have about 8 stereo systems, and use Roon to distribute the audio, which of course can do DSP for each zone.

Here's the thing, in one of my rooms, I've never bothered with DSP, and just love the sound, It's a 12x12 office with LS50s on stands, and for years was powered with an 80s or 90s Mitsubishi 100Wpc power amp, which I'm sure has lousy specs, but sounds fine to me, and a Chase Technologies RLC-1 preamp with LEDs that had kind of a build it loudness contour, even when the bass and treble settings were disengaged. To save space for my larger computer monitors, I now have a Topping PA5 power amp (2nd ones a charm, so far), using balanced Scarlett 2i2 focusrite for DAC, and a Raspberry Pi for the Roon bridge, wired to the router and Roon server. The sound with the PA5 and focusrite is brighter than I like, and I've considered plugging my old preamp back in, but was also thinking of replacing the budget Focusrite DAC with an SMSL D6 for balanced, and having a remote, however, I still have no manual or analog EQ, and will have to tune in Roon DSP. I kind of like the idea of leaving DSP off in this room at least, and just having the gear handle the EQ. Any ideas? I'm leaning towards non integrated amps, preamps, dacs, headphone amps, etc., as I move things around between the rooms occasionally.
 

DVDdoug

Major Contributor
Joined
May 27, 2021
Messages
2,920
Likes
3,832
This just isn't the job of a DAC...

An AVR has a DAC and everything else built-in. You can also find some preamps (and integrated amps) with digital inputs (a DAC) and tone controls and all of the other usual switches & controls. But a preamp is a specialty item so an AVR is usually cheaper.

Or maybe just get a hardware equalizer.

There are audio interfaces with built-in DSP. They are really intended for recording and the DSP allows the performer to monitor with reverb or other effects in their headphones without latency (delay) through the computer. So you're paying for "extra" microphone preamps and ADCs. Most of the "attention" (cost & performance) usually goes-into the input-recording side of the interface.
 

ampguy

Active Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2022
Messages
268
Likes
152
Location
US
This just isn't the job of a DAC...

An AVR has a DAC and everything else built-in. You can also find some preamps (and integrated amps) with digital inputs (a DAC) and tone controls and all of the other usual switches & controls. But a preamp is a specialty item so an AVR is usually cheaper.

Or maybe just get a hardware equalizer.

There are audio interfaces with built-in DSP. They are really intended for recording and the DSP allows the performer to monitor with reverb or other effects in their headphones without latency (delay) through the computer. So you're paying for "extra" microphone preamps and ADCs. Most of the "attention" (cost & performance) usually goes-into the input-recording side of the interface.
Yup. I have many of these in my home studio. But not wanting to move that gear to my listening areas. What I'd like is something like a Schiit Loki equalizer but with balanced in/out. Or a simple passive preamp, maybe even revert to my old preamp whose EQ I like.
 
Top Bottom