JPete9 Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 I have a small iFI iDSD DAC and its pretty great, much better than the Mac Mini onboard. Someone has generously loaned me a Cambridge Stream Magic 6 V2, now I need an upgrade! I have Mac Mini>DAC>Valve Amp. No balanced cabling. I was thinking or trying the Topping D50, based purely on online comments (not the best approach, i know). I notice it has no remote. Can it be set and forgotten? Whats the best of the $500 DACs, ideally one some one has compared to the cambridge or used with a valve amp. I really prefer it wasnt black. But would if i had to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 (edited) For the $500 mark, the Pro-Ject S2 DAC is really good. https://darko.audio/2018/03/pro-jects-densely-packed-s2-digital/ http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?prod=preboxs2digital&cat=default&lang=en I bought one to play with MQA and DSD512 up-sampling. But even just playing CD quality files to the DAC, it sounds great. Edited June 25, 2018 by Music2496 Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Sherriff Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 17 minutes ago, Music2496 said: For the $500 mark, the Pro-Ject S2 DAC is really good. I second this... I have one hooked up to my Mac Pro it's a great little bit of kit for a very reasonable price. Even comes in silver if you really don't want black. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete9 Posted June 25, 2018 Author Share Posted June 25, 2018 You guys running these in front of you hifi? eg a power/intergrated amp? anyone with valves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rand129678 Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 Just now, JPete9 said: You guys running these in front of you hifi? Yep, played with an integrated amp. Haven't tried direct into a power amp though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuBh Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 Heard rave review of the Cyrus DAC. Also if you can spend more check Simaudio products. I have an Electrocompanient DAC, and very happy with its sweet sounding analog feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuBh Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 On 25/06/2018 at 7:49 PM, JPete9 said: You guys running these in front of you hifi? eg a power/intergrated amp? anyone with valves? My Electrocompanient DAC is wired into my Canary audio tube integrated amp. The analog feel of my DAC marvelously compliments the valve amp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ittaku Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 I've auditioned the DXS7 which is the bigger brother from Topping with the same internals of the D50 and balanced outputs and heaphone out and can say that for its price it is exceptionally good. You need to spend about 5x as much before you get better sounding DACs in my experience, and the improvement is still only subtle. However the current model does not come with a remote control (it's planned) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07B4V1J7K and costs a bit more than your $500 budget at $624. The D50 costs quite a bit less and at least on paper should perform the same as the DXS7 according to its specs and objective measurements but it does not have balanced outputs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 So far the best inexpensive DAC I've tried is a Weilang Audio AKM 4497EQ DAC off ebay. That said on 240v mains there is transformer hum unless voltage is dropped to 220v. This thing sounds so good I'll be sourcing a proper 240v transformer and possibly change the OPAMPS for output transformers. Plenty of space in the case for mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete9 Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 I'm curious what does it sound good compared to? I still havent bought one, but i i've done a bit of reading the project gets very good reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 (edited) In its current form it falls a little short of my Gieseler Gross DAC. Quite similar though missing a little of its magic and transparency though to my ears surprisingly close. That said it won't be replacing my Gross DAC in my main system any time soon. Clays unit just oozes quality of workmanship and the remote control isn't a small advantage. The balanced outputs may prove useful some time too. I don't think I'll ever need another DAC. Vinyl rips done on my system sound identical to the actual playback. I can't give higher praise than that. Edited July 10, 2018 by MattyW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Then again I haven't tried it on the same system as my Gieseler Gross with the darTZeel NHB-108 copy. That's more revealing. I suspect the difference will be more noticeable on that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearcey Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I'm really pleased with my new Chord Mojo; $740 so slightly out of range but of course can be used as headphone amp/DAC as well. Only used for a few hours so probably not completely run in either. Just out of interest I compared it to the DAC on my Naim 272. Honestly not that far off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewyuri Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I think that a second hand Klein would be your best bet. They come up occasionally on SNA and are terrific at about $500. Better than the Cambridge IMO and good with valves too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWretchedWorld Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Topping d50 or dx7s depending if you need balanced or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve M Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 All of these comments just further cements in my mind that modern dacs are not the weak point in our systems, and cost is not a determining factor either especially up to about the $2K mark. Yes it does get better after that , but even then it’s not chalk and cheese as all good sounding dacs (regardless of cost) are more similar than not. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete9 Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 (edited) I'm going purely on opinions now.But getting keen to try something. i only have the ifi idsd and cambridge dac magic v2 to compare to. Topping D50 $340 Pro-ject S2 for $490 Doesnt seem like a big difference, but i dont want to spend the extra 150 for .0001% of difference...or is it really likely to be much better than the topping? what do you get for the +50% cost? Edited July 31, 2018 by JPete9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 17 minutes ago, JPete9 said: I'm going purely on opinions now.But getting keen to try something. i only have the ifi idsd and cambridge dac magic v2 to compare to. Topping D50 $340 Pro-ject S2 for $490 Doesnt seem like a big difference, but i dont want to spend the extra 150 for .0001% of difference...or is it really likely to be much better than the topping? what do you get for the +50% cost? All of us can suggest options and provide our opinions, but at the end of the day, your ears will be the final arbiter on your system. If you can hear the difference with your equipment, then it is money well spent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete9 Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) OBVIOUSLY! Thats why i asked for OTHER PEOPLE's opinions I get it, i'm just going to order one, but curious what was known, or what other people's opinion are about the difference between them. Try not to make many decisions like this, but no other way other than buying and selling lots of bits. Edited August 1, 2018 by JPete9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ittaku Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 5 hours ago, JPete9 said: I'm going purely on opinions now.But getting keen to try something. i only have the ifi idsd and cambridge dac magic v2 to compare to. Topping D50 $340 Pro-ject S2 for $490 Doesnt seem like a big difference, but i dont want to spend the extra 150 for .0001% of difference...or is it really likely to be much better than the topping? what do you get for the +50% cost? On paper even, does the Pro-ject actually outperform the D50? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMurphy Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 1 hour ago, Ittaku said: On paper even, does the Pro-ject actually outperform the D50? https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-topping-d50-dac.2403/ https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital.2370/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ittaku Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) 4 minutes ago, RichMurphy said: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-topping-d50-dac.2403/ https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital.2370/ Right, so the DX7 outperforms it slightly (in numbers) on some tests and the DX7s outperforms the DX7 and the D50 slightly outperforms the DX7s... meaning the D50, at least in numbers on paper, is the better performer. Edited August 1, 2018 by Ittaku Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichMurphy Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Just now, Ittaku said: Right, so the DX7 outperforms it slightly (in numbers) and the DX7s outperforms the DX7 and the D50 outperforms the DX7s... meaning the D50, at least in numbers on paper, is the better performer. That's the objective view for those particular measurements. I bought a D50 and I'm happy with it. Your ears may be better than mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ittaku Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 1 minute ago, RichMurphy said: That's the objective view for those particular measurements. I bought a D50 and I'm happy with it. Your ears may be better than mine. I did agreed with you, even though I've not heard the D50 myself, only the DX7s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudioGeek Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 53 minutes ago, Ittaku said: Right, so the DX7 outperforms it slightly (in numbers) on some tests and the DX7s outperforms the DX7 and the D50 slightly outperforms the DX7s... meaning the D50, at least in numbers on paper, is the better performer. No matter how many times I read that, I still cant figure it out! Guess I should click on the links for perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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