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USB DAC

B

bencho

2[H]4U
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
2,093
If I go to a mini-ITX system and do not want to use onboard sound...

could I use a USB DAC to go to my active speakers (A5+)?

If yes, what would you recommend?
 
Yes but I'd like to visit some less expensive options if possible.
Sorry, I forgot to throw in a budget- Sub $100 would be great

On the same note, different build quality and parts are used, hence the prices but how much will the sound change from DAC to DAC? I'm getting tons of interference from my sound card now, Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 and want to see if a DAC will stop this
 
Interference in a sound card usually comes from the other components inside your case so using a USB DAC should eliminate all of that. Sound ideally should not change at all from DAC to DAC because it's job is to convert the audio transparently.

For the budget, I've heard very good things about the Behringer UCA202 and it seems to be used in tons of projects. I can't honestly help you much beyond that because the only sub-$100 DACs I've personally played with have ended up being rather.... not good.
 
What other DACs can you recommend?
I can take a look at them and decide if I want to spend that much~
 
The ODAC should be the undisputed king for recommendations in the $100-200 range and you can get it with RCA outputs.

http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=46

The HRT Music Streamer II is very popular but I don't believe is comes close to either the ODAC or D1 though. You can go with a FiiO option like the new D07 which looks pretty solid or something more useful if you want something portable like the E17, although you'd lose the RCA option.
 
you may want to look at the Schiit Modi $99 usb dac

pretty nice and probably what I would get if i didn't already have a FiiO E9/ E07K combo
 
That ODAC isn't that far off from $100. what should I be looking for when researching DACs?
 
You want to look for asynchronous USB implementations. A lot of the performance has to do with the analog part of the implementation and so that isn't something that you will see on a spec sheet, you need measurements.

I think that the tests that JA at stereophile does on DACs is quite well reasoned (noise / dynamic range / linearity / jitter etc.).
 
I did see the Modi in my research.

The DAC is essentially a replacement for the sound card, correct?
I don't need an amp unless I am using passive components, right?
 
+1 for ODAC, I have the O2/ODAC and it is absolutely brilliant. If you want to save money you can pick one up from mayflowerelectronics.
 
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