modded zero dac vs modded little dot I+

[SoFGR]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zero-DAC-with-the-HDAM-LT1364-and-upgraded-volume-pot_W0QQitemZ330303611215QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCD_MiniDisc_Players?hash=item330303611215&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

VS

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=360091014542

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=270279530997

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220351516871

what should i get ? that modded dac can be used as an excellent headphone amp at the same time right ?

my current audio setup : x-fi titanium fatal1ty champion series + pa2v2 + beyerdynamic dt770/80 pro

Using digital connection looks like the best option but i want to retain cmss3d + full hardware acceleration when playing my games, especially those with openAL support like UT3, is that possible on my current soundcard and operating system ? ( windows XP SP2 ) what troubles me the most is that i don't see any " Play Stereo Mix using Digital Output " in the SPDIF tab ( http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spdifmk1.jpg ) and i don't want to use vista for various reasons, does any1 game on xp with a titanium card and a spdif DAC ?

 

[Christobevii3]

I have the zero dac with just the upgraded opamps. It came with a usb to optical device that has a virtual surround setting. And yes it works as a headphone amp too. Other than that, don't know about the creative stuff.

 

[Alai]

I would say the Zero is an excellent option unless you WANT to try a tube amp. They are both great picks and I doubt you will dislike either unless you compare them to more expensive purchases. And yes you can retain all the sound effects driven through software when it goes through optical. Hell, even my onboard audio's virtual surround sound can be heard going through my Zero (my Zero doesn't have virtual surround switch).

 

[ashmedai]

A tube amp could be nice...roughly, the idea is that the analog nature of the amp acts as a smoothing filter after the DAC stage and creates a more organic-sounding result. The result can be a matter of taste.

But I'd just get the Zero. Two stage upgrade (DAC + amp).

For the drivers...hell if I know? But unless it's badly designed, the choice of outputs only bypasses the output stage, and any positioning algorithms that the card normally performs would continue to be performed. You might lose some post-processing options, but I would be surprised to see it stop your hardware audio "acceleration".

 

[kool bubba ice]

Tube amp. Tube amp. Tube amp. It's like holographic gaming, improved 3d imaging, guns feel heavy in a audio sense.. enemies are fleshed out and feel more alive. Everything has weight to them adding to the audio realism. Ofcourse my tube amp was 400. Never heard the dot amp.

 

[Riddleofsteel]

Is there such a thing as a tube amp with a dac built in?

 

[ashmedai]

Is there such a thing as a tube amp with a dac built in?

No reason there couldn't be. But I would be surprised to see one. The people buying it are already looking at discrete components, and tube amps are somewhat high voltage so it would be good to avoid sticking extraneous circuits inside the same box with it.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Is there such a thing as a tube amp with a dac built in?

Of course, but seem to be USB DACs.

 

[shadowlord]

you can't go wrong with a zero at that price point.
if you listen to music a lot and want to spend a few bucks more maybe the upcoming compass dac is something for you. http://www.audio-gd.com/enweb/DAC-Compass.htm