neutral dac under 350?

[daftcombo]

If it's for headphones or active speakers use, I would now advise an Apple USB-C to Headphones 10$ dongle.
Just got mine, sounds great.

 

[andreasmaaan]

If it's for headphones or active speakers use, I would now advise an Apple USB-C to Headphones 10$ dongle.
Just got mine, sounds great.

I concur with that.

The OP is after something with multiple inputs and RCA outputs, however.

 

[daftcombo]

Topping D50 then.
I don't have it but have a NAD D1050 which fills the bill at home. It has USB, 2xCoaxial and 2xOptical in. Sounds good but I don't have measurements. RCA & XLR outputs.

 

[garbulky]

so am i right to assume that i should go for the one that has the best implementation of the chip? wouldnt mind to pay more for the topping if it is really worth it. but i dont care about volume manipulation or the screen (cant find any real use for it). so perhaps i should go for the khadas? what do you guys think??

Though it may sound obvious, I think this forum focuses a lot on technical performance when in reality hugely better technical performance doesn't mean that it sounds better. And worse technical performance doesn't mean it sounds worse. If you actually have done any listening you'll find yourself hard pressed to hear any differences in anything that is -70 db below the signal. Heck even at -65 it gets very tough. What this means is that IN REAL LIFE MUSIC LISTENING - something that has no distortion below -80 db vs something with excellent signal at -120 db doesn't really mean much in terms of how measurements carry out to your ears.

I.e. most equipment nowadays - even the $40 stuff or the inbuilt gear in your iphone or motherboard meets these requirements. If you look at the DBT tests on some of these products you'll see "horribly" measuring gear fair no worse or if so by only a little subjectively compared to the best.

What I'm saying is that if you think having the lowest distrotion dac is going to give you appreciably better sound in your listening expereince, that's not necessarily the case.

People on this forum say they buy the lowest distortion dac because they can be sure they are getting it right. I think it's more important that they listen to their dac and see if they like it. Because it could be the best measuring but if you don't like it (say because it's bright pink) then it doesn't really matter.
.
I would also look at features, things that you may find appealing about it.
For instance I picked A DC-1 (which measured decently but not anything stellar) because I loved the build quality. It kept things dual mono, it had an analog resistor volume control etc. Things that appealed to me. Did all that effort mean that the dac performed better than cheaper dacs - no it didn't.

But (subjectively no dbt performed) did it sound better to me than most dacs I've listened to including ones that did better measurement wise? Yes it did. The reason for that matters little to me because I have it in my system and am still enjoying the great sound. The point being I used it in real life and decided that was what I wanted.
I also have a Denon PCM 61 multibit cd player from the early 90's. This thing doesn't get anywhere close to the accuracy of my Emomtiva DC-1. I got it for free ata garage sale. There is an audible difference between the two. The tray doesn't even work right and sticks!
But guess which one I prefer when I listen to CD's? That's right, it's the Denon. Whether it was distortion or lack of accuracy that does it, I don't know, but I do know I like it. It's still in my system.

 

[porotikos]

guys thank you very much for all your replies. let me apologise for not commenting sooner, but i was really really busy at work...

in my search for a very good but not overall expensive dac, i said i need multiple inputs.
well, i can make some compromises. i really need a usb input and rca output. i would also love another input be it optical or coaxial. both would be better but it isnt something that will make me cross off a dac.
as garbulky said, it is about the sound. i want a neutral dac. something that will enable me to listen to music and not to the dac.
since everyone says khadas is great, it can compete with dacs well above its price and is natural, it is a rteal contester to me. topping d50 is another. but to be honest i do not need the extra things it provides (volume control, remote, more outputs).
to be honest, most probably i need usb input and rca output. and that is all.
i will wait for new version of khadas and the new reviews on this site. if it is better than the current version ill buy it. otherwise i am thinking about the current khadas board.
i am open to other suggestions, but if a 100 dollars dac can do the job so well (according to reviews), do i need to invest more money? i dont think there is any reason to do that

 

[M00ndancer]

The D30 from topping does all that. Multiple digital inputs and nothing else. Just connect the sources to the input and the RCA to the mixer. Good enough with the features you want.