Recommendations- budget USB DAC

[Aperiodic]

Hi. Pretty much a 'noob' here. Want to look at a budget DAC. Thinking of selling my Modi Multibit and putting a few shekels back in my pocket. The Modi 3 is on my radar but, like so many Schiit designs, it seems to have an Achilles heel which in the Modi 3's case is USB performance. It's in the running, but because of that and the fact that (for the foreseeable future anyway) a USB-only DAC is all I need, I want to look at more options. Maybe leaving out switching helps keep cost down. And if there are multi-input DACs worth looking at for $150 or less, I'd check them out. So maybe that puts a few other units into play. Interested in recommendations as to what test reports/reviews here I should look at.

 

[dpippel]

The Topping E30 ($130) should be at the very top of your list IMO.

 

[BillG]

If you only care about Redbook standard, this will reproduce it very accurately for $9USD - everything else will get downsampled/truncated:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pple-vs-google-usb-c-headphone-adapters.5541/

 

[Aperiodic]

I saw this. I use the Lightning version for my iPhone. Presumably the same chip? BTW iOS supports up to 16/48 but the Mac goes higher so I guess its a question of whether Apple wants to put a fancier chip in a $9 product. Somehow I doubt it.


For the most part, I do only care about Redbook standard. Only a smattering ( < 1%) of higher-than-Redbook items in my collection. Wonder how it will show up in my Mac Mini. And wonder how much output it can make into a high impedance load (my heavily modded agdr/O2 has a input impedance of ~10K IIRC, low for a line level input but a lot higher than the headphone load this device would usually see). In other words, enough for the amp with good volume range? And does it downsample, say, 24/96- or just not play them? Oh well, only costs $9 to find out. I have other ways to re-spec the few 24/96 things I have.

dpippel, thanks for the suggestion on the E30. Don't need a remote, but looks like a contender nevertheless. Looks like a good deal for the category though.

It ain't over 'til it's over. Starting to think it would be interesting to see results for the built-in DAC in my Mini but not about to send that in.Thanks for the replies.

 

[knotscott]

+1 on the Topping E30. Am quite impressed with the improvement over my stock Denon DAC.

 

[Aperiodic]

I will give the report a read

 

[BillG]

In other words, enough for the amp with good volume range? And does it downsample, say, 24/96- or just not play them? Oh well, only costs $9 to find out. I have other ways to re-spec the few 24/96 things I have.

High impedence loads it doesn't have enough power for, according to the performance analysis at least when using it with a 300ohm headphone - it drove them, but not to their full potential. As for its normal line level output, it drives the two amps I've tried it with to full volume just fine. These were both integrated amps with on-board preamps, by the way.

As for resampling, the desktop operating systems should handle that automatically.

All the best...

 

[Aperiodic]

BillG- My intention wasn't to drive high impedance headphones. It was to run it into my headphone amp (essentially using it as a DAC, not a DAC/amp) like you are doing. Haven't had time to try that yet, but glad to hear you are getting good results that way. I assume you run the volume into it high and control listening volume at your amp?

As far as driving headphones directly, it seems that his device is pretty clearly aimed at IEM / earbud designs, probably not full size cans as a general practice. Out of my computer, it drives my Etys without breaking a sweat, sounds great, and does... OK with the Beyers (haven't listened extensively because I just don't expect that to be a common use scenario). Might be a little weak on dynamics that way but as I say, it will not likely be used that way much

 

[frogmeat69]

Here's a list you really can't go wrong with in price to performance, my choices would be either of the top 2, but the Grace Design has balanced outs in case you ever want to go down the rabbit hole, lol.

https://public.tableau.com/shared/T...splay_count=y&:origin=viz_share_link&:embed=y

 

[Aperiodic]

Thanks. Balanced isn't realy on my radar but the others are interesting.

 

[BillG]

. I assume you run the volume into it high and control listening volume at your amp

You're correct, I run the Apple dongle at 100% volume into the amp, and control the listening from the latter. I've noticed no distortion or clipping, and I've listened carefully for it.