linvincible Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Hello, I currently own a Mytek 192 DSD and am looking for "better". I already have a preamp for volume control and HT bypass, so I don't need those options on the DAC. I need USB driverless input (my renderer is a SOtM sms-100) and want up to 192 KHz PCM and DSD 128 compatibility. What can you suggest that would make a difference from the Mytek, at around 5K? So far I didn't find a lot of units that could meet the requirements, I'll update this list with suggestions: - MSB Analogue (need to check if USB input is driverless and a bit pricey) Thanks in advance! Link to comment
cjf Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I would say that you would probably get a little better SQ by going up to the Ayre QB9 DSD at $3500 but beyond that you would need to roughly double the price of the Ayre to get to the next level. At the next level I would recommend these units: Playback Designs - MPD-3 DAC ($6.5K) Meitner - MA1 DAC ($7K) OR The MSB you have listed but its Ala-Cart style of purchasing choices can quickly bring the price up if your not careful. The good thing with the MSB though is that you can easily pay as you go and add the external power supply at a later time which is supposed to make a pretty big difference in its SQ but unless your willing to make that next move at some point in the future and purchase the better power supply for the MSB you may not get much better then the Ayre QB9 DSD unit. My Audio System -Last Updated May 20 2021 Link to comment
tranz Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 For MSB Analog, a great DAC but much more expensive, I would not recommend the regular USB input. It did not sound good. They did, however, very recently come out with an improved v2 version which I have not tried. Another input module that I have been reading about is the LAN input, which sounds intriguing because it allows bypassing of USB and SPDIF all together. Have not heard from anyone using it yet though, and of course everything is in the implementation. The upgraded power base does lower noise floor, but again adds more money than many DACs cost. Cheers Link to comment
wisnon Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Hello, I currently own a Mytek 192 DSD and am looking for "better". I already have a preamp for volume control and HT bypass, so I don't need those options on the DAC. I need USB driverless input (my renderer is a SOtM sms-100) and want up to 192 KHz PCM and DSD 128 compatibility. What can you suggest that would make a difference from the Mytek, at around 5K? So far I didn't find a lot of units that could meet the requirements, I'll update this list with suggestions: - MSB Analogue (need to check if USB input is driverless and a bit pricey) Thanks in advance! Try a Level 4 Lampi with DSD option, new or used…will be below $5K. Music Machine. Link to comment
Jimmypowder Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I would suggest the Radio Shack Dac-4 Deluxe . Awesome dac Link to comment
bmoura Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I would suggest the Radio Shack Dac-4 Deluxe . Awesome dac They have DACs at The Shack these days? Apparently DACs are everywhere! Link to comment
CKKeung Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Lampizator and PS Audio DirectStream are the two best-buys at this price level. Link to comment
Mike Mcsweeney Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 i dont understand why someone would be obsessed with an expensive dac, but insist on usb? wouldn't network be better? not being critical, just trying to understand? Wouldn't everyone agree that using wireless without the extra hardware, power supply, os, etc make for a cleaner better solution? I mean if you got $5K to throw at a dac, why wouldn't you want something to do it over the network (wired or wirelessly). I don't understand the hang-up so many have with usb? I could see using usb if you just wanted cheap, but doesn't the hardware and usb throw "unnecessary" noise into the equation? Link to comment
linvincible Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks for the suggestions, here's a digested view since I can't update my post : OK ones: MSB Analogue - $7K and up, need to check new USB input (or network), has volume control though Playback Designs - MPD-3 DAC ($6.5K) - didn't know about that one thanks! will dig up Ayre QB9 DSD ($3.5K) - DSD 64 only PS Audio DirectStream ($6K) - has volume control and lots of inputs adding complexity and cost Not OK ones: Meitner - MA1 DAC ($7K) -> no DSD Lampizator Level 4 with DSD (€3K) -> not an option to messy to use Radio Shack Dac-4 Deluxe -> could not find anything about it oh boy I need an excel file ;o) Link to comment
linvincible Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Hi Mike, good USB inputs are isolated so no noise will come through the USB. The big advantage is that in USB asynchronous more you are also isolated from the source's jitter. My main reason for separating the renderer from the DAC is that I did not find an ethernet DAC with as good control as with the Logitech Media Server / squeezelite. By keeping everything separate I can keep or change each element independently when I find a better DAC or better interface without compatibility problems. Another good input apparently is IsquaredS, since USB input goes from there and to there in the devices, so it removes a transcoding step which can't be bad. I can accept an I2S DAC but for the moment my renderer doesn't have an I2S output ;o) Link to comment
k6davis Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Why do you say that the Lampizator is messy to use? I love mine and haven't heard a better sounding DAC. If you're referring to switching between PCM & DSD, their new Amber DAC does that automatically *and* costs less than the L4. AMBER ALERT!!! - LampizatOr Holiday Season Group Buy (EARLY ADOPTER INCENTIVE) Roon Server: Core i7-3770S, WS2012 + AO => HQP Server: Core, i7-9700K, HQPlayer OS => NAA: Celeron NUC, HQP NAA => ISO Regen with UltraCap LPS 1.2 => Mapleshade USB Cable => Lampizator L4 DSD-Only Balanced DAC Preamp => Blue Jeans Belden Balanced Cables => Mivera PurePower SE Amp => Magnepan 3.7i Link to comment
linvincible Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 thanks for the clarification k6davis I checked only the Level 4/5/6 line I'll check the amber now! Link to comment
4est Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Where did you get that? I think you might be confused, wireless is not a panacea, nor is network audio. i dont understand why someone would be obsessed with an expensive dac, but insist on usb? wouldn't network be better? not being critical, just trying to understand? Wouldn't everyone agree that using wireless without the extra hardware, power supply, os, etc make for a cleaner better solution? I mean if you got $5K to throw at a dac, why wouldn't you want something to do it over the network (wired or wirelessly). I don't understand the hang-up so many have with usb? I could see using usb if you just wanted cheap, but doesn't the hardware and usb throw "unnecessary" noise into the equation? Forrest: Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP> Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz Link to comment
EuroDriver Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Exasound E20 or E22 they both do DSD 256 which is noticeably better than DSD 128 Sound Test, Monaco Consultant to Sound Galleries Monaco, and Taiko Audio Holland e-mail [email protected] Link to comment
linvincible Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 exasound e22 thanks for the suggestion, I discarded it when I saw headphone amp and volume control but now that I see the offer is very scarce without those features I'm opening up again to features irrelevant to me Link to comment
tranz Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 ...OK ones: MSB Analogue - $7K and up, need to check new USB input (or network), has volume control... Volume control is an option you pay extra for but they make it without too. The option is linked with the small display on top. Link to comment
EuroDriver Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 iFi miniDSD is coming soon. It will do DSD512 ! iFi Audio "Mini" desktop line discussion thread - Page 8 iFi microDSD has good reviews so the mini may well be very interesting Sound Test, Monaco Consultant to Sound Galleries Monaco, and Taiko Audio Holland e-mail [email protected] Link to comment
bmoura Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 exasound e22 thanks for the suggestion, I discarded it when I saw headphone amp and volume control but now that I see the offer is very scarce without those features I'm opening up again to features irrelevant to me Yes and exaSound also offers a 30-day free in-home trial of all of their DACs. May be worth considering. They also have the e28 DAC in that price band that give you Multichannel and Stereo DSD and PCM in all resolution levels. With that one, you can play any music download available today. Link to comment
linvincible Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Volume control is an option you pay extra for but they make it without too. The option is linked with the small display on top. thanks for clarifying that their website was confusing with the 3 control options choices... Link to comment
firedog Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Exasound needs an ASIO driver for Windows Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three . Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
EuroDriver Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Exasound needs an ASIO driver for Windows Exasound has Windows ASIO driver that works great. It predates the MAC ASIO driver Now I'm just waiting for the Linux driver which is in testing. Then will try out the SOTM SMS-100 and it's pre-loaded HQP NAA Sound Test, Monaco Consultant to Sound Galleries Monaco, and Taiko Audio Holland e-mail [email protected] Link to comment
bmoura Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Exasound has Windows ASIO driver that works great. It predates the MAC ASIO driver Now I'm just waiting for the Linux driver which is in testing. Then will try out the SOTM SMS-100 and it's pre-loaded HQP NAA Yes, I use the exaSound e28 with their Windows ASIO driver all the time. Works great as you say! Link to comment
k6davis Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Exasound E20 or E22 they both do DSD 256 which is noticeably better than DSD 128 The new Lampizator DACs alsodo DSD256. It's not easy to hear one without trying it, but they we very flexible and helpful in terms of giving me an evaluation period during which I could return it. I haven't heard the ExaSound which I'm sure is excellent, but on paper, the Lampizator is unique in that it uses tubes in its power supply and in its output section. Most interestingly, it does not use a DAC chip for DSD at all. Instead, it plays the DSD datastream directly after applying a low-pass filter to it. You can read more about it on the Lampizator site. It sounds amazing and even at the higher L4 price, it seems like a bargain. At this Amber price, if it sounds anything like mine, it would be a steal. Roon Server: Core i7-3770S, WS2012 + AO => HQP Server: Core, i7-9700K, HQPlayer OS => NAA: Celeron NUC, HQP NAA => ISO Regen with UltraCap LPS 1.2 => Mapleshade USB Cable => Lampizator L4 DSD-Only Balanced DAC Preamp => Blue Jeans Belden Balanced Cables => Mivera PurePower SE Amp => Magnepan 3.7i Link to comment
bmoura Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 The new Lampizator DACs also do DSD256. It's not easy to hear one without trying it, but they we very flexible and helpful in terms of giving me an evaluation period during which I could return it. I haven't heard the ExaSound which I'm sure is excellent, but on paper, the Lampizator is unique in that it uses tubes in its power supply and in its output section. Most interestingly, it does not use a DAC chip for DSD at all. Instead, it plays the DSD datastream directly after applying a low-pass filter to it. You can read more about it on the Lampizator site. It sounds amazing and even at the higher L4 price, it seems like a bargain. At this Amber price, if it sounds anything like mine, it would be a steal. Adding DSD256 to the special purchase on the Amber DAC will certainly draw attention to the offer. Especially since Lampizator hasn't announced DSD256 yet on their other DAC models! Although I imagine that is coming. AMBER ALERT!!! - LampizatOr Holiday Season Group Buy (EARLY ADOPTER INCENTIVE) Link to comment
k6davis Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Adding DSD256 to the special purchase on the Amber DAC will certainly draw attention to the offer. Especially since Lampizator hasn't announced DSD256 yet on their other DAC models! Although I imagine that is coming. AMBER ALERT!!! - LampizatOr Holiday Season Group Buy (EARLY ADOPTER INCENTIVE) Yes, I've heard DSD256 is coming for their other models very soon. I'll certainly be upgrading mine. Roon Server: Core i7-3770S, WS2012 + AO => HQP Server: Core, i7-9700K, HQPlayer OS => NAA: Celeron NUC, HQP NAA => ISO Regen with UltraCap LPS 1.2 => Mapleshade USB Cable => Lampizator L4 DSD-Only Balanced DAC Preamp => Blue Jeans Belden Balanced Cables => Mivera PurePower SE Amp => Magnepan 3.7i Link to comment
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