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How is your dream DAC like?

LaLaLard

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Hi all,

We now live in an era in which people -those who know how to spend money- are spoiled by reasonably priced but well-performing equipments.

I've tries quite some well-engineered versatile DACs over the year and am now settled with RME. In the last 5 years or so, there had been a lot of Chinese brand of Hifi equipment, mainly aimed at students and young workforce, making good-valued products that suits their taste.

So instead of giant heatsink and overkilled transformer, these brands have nicely added some much more useful features into their products, such as Bluetooth and USB input, which wasn't all that common before they entered the market.

I recalled prior to 2010 I was using Creative 1212M soundcard with Logitech transporter, through Coaxial, for my PC hifi. Back then there were lots of criticism against ANY PC hifi but I'm glad to see this hatred is now gone. Due to the small number of PC hifier, back then, there wasn't many option with USB at all, let alone to any reasonably priced ones(apogee got USB but the price back then...)

Now DACs have not only all adapted to USB input, but many also DSD processing, IIS input. And it is no longer just a DAC, I've bypassed preamp for many years now without any issue. The sound is so clean.

Folks, what would you like to see on a resonably priced (<800USD) DAC now? Talking about low level of distortion seems irrelevant now, given that a well-engineered product could easily go above 110db SINAD.

Personally I would like to see RME making their next ADI with these feature:
  • Bluetooth. This can be very handy when you need it.
  • FIR&IIR filter support, which means you could upload your filter ONTO the DAC. Currently, I'm suffering from the need for EQ with my HD800. I'm limited to use my MAC to play music as ADI-2's EQ isn't comprehensive enough to save the dire Frequency response of HD800...

Some options just to get the discussion started:
  • Bluetooth (at least 5.0) support
    • Aptx-HD, LDAC
    • Low latency mode (good for games and movie)
  • EQ
    • IIR filter support
    • FIR filter support
  • Firmware upgrade
  • Digital out option
    • Digital in -> processed (e.g. EQ, upsampling .etc) -> Digital out
  • Headphone out (not required for a DAC but definitely nice to have, and one less set of plugs+cable means less jitter anyway)
    • XLR plug output
    • 3.5mm output
  • Phono Stage (SMSL A8 has it, but are people on this forum still use turntables?)
 
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q3cpma

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A Babyface with an AES/EBU out whose volume can be digitally controlled by the knob. I'd like to see more advances in interfaces that don't need external power, in general.
 

shal

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Nov 30, 2019
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Rennes, France
My dream DAC:
- good measurement, but there is a lot of this kind of DAC now
- well build, everything should work 10-15 years with any flaw
- self powered, I hate to have external transformer
- no pop on on/off or even if the power is abruptly down
- no pop when frequency change
- auto adapt frequency
- Entry usb , optic, spdif a least
- very good galvanic isolation on usb and spdif
- XLR, rca output
- volume control , the volume control should be acurate
- a lot of power to directly be connected to poweramp
- no firmware to update because, the original firmware is flawless


For information, I am happy with my Lavry DA11 :cool:
 

Archsam

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My Matrix Element X is very, very close to my ideal DAC.

- It is one of the all time best measuring DAC on ASR.
- All the connections I want (and I2S for future proofing).
- Build in wifi streaming to connect with my NAS, which is one of the main reason I chose it.
- The build-in music player is very good (not perfect yet, but Matrix Audio regularly updates their firmware and it's literally a click on my phone to run the update when it is made available).
- Can play pretty much any file format currently under the sun.
- It has a volume knob and accepts 3 kinds of headphone connections.
- Comes with a neat little remote which is really handy if you want to use the DAC as a pre-amp
- It looks gorgeous to my eyes.
- It is expensive but I think the price is justified.

Edit: To OP's original question, if the price of this unit comes down and added bluetooth support, it will pretty much hit your criteria for the perfect DAC. Not sure about phono stage on a all digital source component though, then again I am not a TT guy.
 
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3125b

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Well, let's see ...

Input:
- USB
- TOSLINK
- Bluetooth 5.0 AptX, LL
Output:
- RCA + AUX unbalanced
- XLR balanced
Features:
- Volume control
- Display
- Remote control
- Hardware buttons for volume and on/off
- Must work without additional drivers!!!
- No grounding

... and good Performance of course.
I'm happy with my E30, if I could add something to it, that something would be balanced outputs and Bluetooth.
I don't need a huge and heavy thing with a fancy case that costs 5000$ and does everything under the sun.
I like the modularity of a seperate amp and DAC.
 

Glasvegas

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My Matrix Element X is very, very close to my ideal DAC.

- It is one of the all time best measuring DAC on ASR.
- All the connections I want (and I2S for future proofing).
- Build in wifi streaming to connect with my NAS, which is one of the main reason I chose it.
- The build-in music player is very good (not perfect yet, but Matrix Audio regularly updates their firmware and it's literally a click on my phone to run the update when it is made available).
- Can play pretty much any file format currently under the sun.
- It has a volume knob and accepts 3 kinds of headphone connections.
- Comes with a neat little remote which is really handy if you want to use the DAC as a pre-amp
- It looks gorgeous to my eyes.
- It is expensive but I think the price is justified.

Edit: To OP's original question, if the price of this unit comes down and added bluetooth support, it will pretty much hit your criteria for the perfect DAC. Not sure about phono stage on a all digital source component though, then again I am not a TT guy.

... and fix the built in music player?
 

Willem

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I think my RME ADI-2 is near perfect. There are two things that I would like, however:
1 Built in Dirac or similar.
2 Menu programming from a connected PC rather than with the current complex system of push buttons and rotary controls. Similarly, an app instead of a remote might be nice.
However, only 1) is really important and would make me buy a version 3. I don't need Bluetooth. CCA built in might be nice.
 

Archsam

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... and fix the built in music player?

Yep, as I said it's not perfect yet. There are little annoying issues with the interface (song selection, app response) but generally I am happy with it.
 

maverickronin

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2 Menu programming from a connected PC rather than with the current complex system of push buttons and rotary controls. Similarly, an app instead of a remote might be nice.

I much prefer the dedicated hardware controls. They will last the life of the device and you don't have to worry about manufacturer support or things disappearing from the app store.
 

Glasvegas

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I think my RME ADI-2 is near perfect. There are two things that I would like, however:
1 Built in Dirac or similar.
2 Menu programming from a connected PC rather than with the current complex system of push buttons and rotary controls. Similarly, an app instead of a remote might be nice.
However, only 1) is really important and would make me buy a version 3. I don't need Bluetooth. CCA built in might be nice.

I agree an app would be nice, but only if it's perfect - not another "work in progress".
 

Willem

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Sure, fortunately RME are pretty good with their software. I agree with Meverickronin that hardware controls are a good long term safety feature - we could have both. But as I said, Dirac or similal is what I am really looking for, and this almost inevitably requires a computer operated interface, I guess.
 

Glasvegas

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Sure, fortunately RME are pretty good with their software. I agree with Meverickronin that hardware controls are a good long term safety feature - we could have both. But as I said, Dirac or similal is what I am really looking for, and this almost inevitably requires a computer operated interface, I guess.

Don't mind a PC interface for configuration, so long as the settings can be stored within the unit, and the PC disconnected.
 

bluefuzz

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If it doesn't have built in Dirac or better it wouldn't have any interest to me regardless of Sinad. Looks are unimportant as long as build quality is OK. An unobtrusive black box is fine. Multiple inputs, at least two each of toslink, coax, (class compliant) usb and preferably hdmi too. No need for analogue inputs though. Balanced and unbalanced outputs. Physical volume control plus remote. At least two sub outputs.

Nice to have: Ability to stream local content + Spotify connect. Ability to do at least 2-way crossover for active speakers.
 

phoenixdogfan

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Dacs are commodities. Once you find one with the feature set (inputs, outputs) and form factor you want, find the lowest price and buy it from Amazon or Aliexpress. Kinda asking what your favorite brand of canned beets is like, really.
 

BillG

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My dream DAC? The Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle - it's transparent, and so inexpensive ($9USD) that I can purchase one every USB output that I have.

I'm joking a bit with the above, but as someone else has already stated, DACs are commodities at this point; it's all down to the feature set that they offer.
 

A Surfer

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I want a DAC that is transparent and has the connectivity options that I need. That is all I dream about, but I am a pretty simple person.
 
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