Which $250 DAC to get? Help me decide!

[wbh]

I just want a decent DAC. No headphone amp or preamp baggage. I can do w/o BT, alas, it seem to be std. on many at this price level. Sigh!
IAC ... I'm tossing between these two (both $250, Amazon)

S.M.S.L M300 MKII HiFi Audio DAC, AKM4497EQ Apt-X USB DAC Decoder, Hi-Res Bluetooth 5.0 32bit/768kHz DSD512, Full Balanced Output, 6 Digital Filter Modes/3 Sound Color, New Edition (Date First Available March 5, 2019)

Topping D50s DAC 2 ES9038Q2M 32bit 768kHz DSD512 XMOS XU208 Bluetooth LDAC HiFi Decoder (Date First Available December 18, 2016)

(add your own choice as necessary)

Help me decide, please. Thx!

 

[Killingbeans]

I just want a decent DAC. No headphone amp or preamp baggage. I can do w/o BT, alas, it seem to be std. on many at this price level. Sigh!

Topping D10s or E30?

 

[Berwhale]

What do you want to plug the DAC in to?

 

[EdW]

Soncoz LA-QXD1 at $199 looks to be very good performance for the money

 

[Sukie]

I've got the D50s and am very happy with it. Works well, looks good.

What do you want to plug the DAC in to?

This is the crucial question. Particularly with regards to balanced/unbalanced output.

 

[wbh]

What do you want to plug the DAC in to?

INPUT TO DAC: Windows 10 laptop or Linux Mint PC tower. USB.
I've got a SPDIF out on my LM PC (via Asus Xonar sound card). So maybe experiment with that. And, I've got a SPDIF out on various CDPs and combi CD/DVD players.

OUTPUT FROM DAC (one of my loudspeaker systems): Van Alstine Fet-Valve preamp/SS amp --> Paradigm Export Monitor mk. 2 speakers.
OUTPUT FROM DAC (one of my many headphone systems): Meier Audio Corda 2 SS amp --> various 'phones .

 

[wbh]

I've got the D50s and am very happy with it. Works well, looks good.
.

I'm VERY impressed with the sonics of the $90 hifimediy DAC that uses the same ESS Sabre ES9038q2m as used in the D50.

 

[Killingbeans]

It's very unlikely that the DAC chips themselves color the signal in any audible way.

If the differences are real (as in: Not just in your head) and/or immediately audible, they are most like caused by other unfortunate factors making the frequency response non-flat.

 

[Daverz]

If you don't need bluetooth or balanced output, I'd go with the Topping E30.

 

[Berwhale]

INPUT TO DAC: Windows 10 laptop or Linux Mint PC tower. USB.
I've got a SPDIF out on my LM PC (via Asus Xonar sound card). So maybe experiment with that. And, I've got a SPDIF out on various CDPs and combi CD/DVD players.

OUTPUT FROM DAC (one of my loudspeaker systems): Van Alstine Fet-Valve preamp/SS amp --> Paradigm Export Monitor mk. 2 speakers.
OUTPUT FROM DAC (one of my many headphone systems): Meier Audio Corda 2 SS amp --> various 'phones .

Since you don't require balanced connections and have volume controls elsewhere, I would recommend the Topping D10s. I'd use USB from your PC (so the Topping becomes your soundcard) and reserve the SPDIF for your CDP. Give the cost of the D10s, you could buy two and use one for the loudspeakers and the other for your headphones.

 

[Taddpole]

Since you don't require balanced connections and have volume controls elsewhere, I would recommend the Topping D10s. I'd use USB from your PC (so the Topping becomes your soundcard) and reserve the SPDIF for your CDP. Give the cost of the D10s, you could buy two and use one for the loudspeakers and the other for your headphones.

I think the d10s only has spdif out not in.

 

[Kaiede]

I think the d10s only has spdif out not in.

Correct. If you want USB only, the D10s will work, but if you want the standard USB/Coax/Opt trio of inputs, the E30 is the next step up. But honestly, if you don't want pre-amp functionality or anything like that, just some line level outputs and 2-3 input selection, the E30 is a good choice.