Looking for Some Best Budget DAC for Beginner Audiophiles ??

[salasmarcelo]

Hello everyone,

I am relatively new to the world of audio gear and want to improve my listening experience beyond the built-in audio from my PC. After doing some research;, I understand that a DAC can make a noticeable difference in sound quality, especially when paired with decent headphones or speakers.

I am looking for recommendations on a budget-friendly DAC that offers great performance for its price. My main use case would be music streaming, some light gaming, and movies. Portability isn’t a priority.., as I will mostly use it on my desktop setup. Compatibility with Windows and minimal setup hassle would be ideal.

Additionally.., I have seen some discussions around measurement-based performance here, which is fascinating. Are there any models that strike a good balance between measurements and subjective listening experience ??

Any advice or insights from the experts here would be greatly appreciated !! Feel free to share your personal experiences as well. Thanks in advance for your help !!

Looking forward to learning from this amazing community !!

With Regards,
Marcelo Salas

ccsp certification

 

[Willem]

There is no need for a balancing act between measurement data and subjective listening experience. Even only remotely decent DACs are sonically transparent. You have to look at two things other than budget: what inputs do you need (PC usually requires a usb input, but optical and coaxial are nice to have as well for other purposes) and you want a DAC with volume control. If you also want inbuilt streaming and dsp room eq, look at the various WiiM models. If not, there is a wealth of options from manufacturers like Topping or SMSL. If you also want to use it as a headphone amplifier, look at the specific headphone results in the DAC tests published here.

 

[Blumlein 88]

What Willem said. Sounds like a streamer/DAC/headphone amp would do for you. Several to choose from. SMSL, Topping, JDS labs etc.

Search for DACs or under those brand names here.

Master Audio Review Index

www.audiosciencereview.com

And as a new member, welcome to ASR. Hope you find it helpful.

 

[AnalogSteph]

So:
What equipment do you already have, if any?
What functionality do you ultimately want/need?
How much roughly is you budget?