I liked the clarity and precision of the Mini-DAC, but to my ears the Lynx Two just had the edge, with a more spacious and airy soundstage. Overall, I'd describe the Benchmark DAC1 as having an extremely detailed, focused sound the same applies to its headphone amp and for me it had the edge over both the Lynx Two and MiniDAC — although I must stress that these are subtle differences.
These improvements were also audible on the headphone output and, overall, to be able to buy a converter of this quality at this price is something I find amazing. The Benchmark DAC1 offers superb audio quality for the price, plus twin headphone sockets and the option of main output muting. However, I'd recommend that those for whom audio quality is the most important consideration should audition the Lavry DA10 Black.
Having used all three for several weeks, I found that I couldn't personally live without the Lavry DA If you're attempting to improve the audio quality of your existing setup, it's important to consider where your money can be spent most wisely, and as usual the best component to upgrade is the one that forms the weakest link in your audio chain.
The next most important items in the chain are probably your loudspeakers, since their performance is critical in letting you hear any improvements you make further back in the audio chain. The differences in sound between different loudspeakers far outweigh those between different converters. The time to consider upgrading your converters is when — and only when — you already have good acoustics, loudspeakers, and headphones.
Only then will you fully appreciate the more subtle improvements that they can offer. You'll find plenty of musicians on Internet forums claiming that the difference between two converters is 'night and day', but on closer inspection this mostly turns out to be when upgrading from converters that are already a few years old to more modern ones.
Most modern audio interfaces provide surprisingly good performance, even at the budget end of the market. If you're used to budget gear, switching to higher-quality digital converters is likely to prove a revelation.
In fact you'll probably notice that the gap between good commercial mixes which sound even clearer and your own is larger than before — but at least you'll now be able to hear why and do something about it! New posts. Search forums.
Log in. Install the app. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required as is 20 years of participation in forums not all true.
Come here to have fun, be ready to be teased and not take online life too seriously. We now measure and review equipment for free! Click here for details.
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Good, inexpensive, A to D Converter? Thread starter andrew Start date Dec 8, Joined May 3, Messages Likes Joined Jul 10, Messages Likes DrTebi Member.
We are reader-supported. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn an affiliate commission. A DAC converts digital audio information into analog sound waves that you can hear.
DACs are in everything, from cell phones to computers, and more. I highly recommend it for audiophiles who are willing to spend the money on this DAC. RME has become one of the absolute best manufacturers of professional digital-to-analog converters, and they have taken some of the features from their studio-centric Pro model and have added features that are ideal for high-fidelity audio lovers for at home listening.
The only difference is an additional filter is available. The noise floor of this output is extremely low while still providing the full frequency range of high-quality audio.
This mode turns off all lights on the DAC after 10 seconds of no user operation. The remote is very nicely designed with easy to read buttons and nice button ergonomics. You can control the EQ, volume, and over 32 different functions with the remote for ultimate flexibility.
The ADI-2 DAC has undetectable distortion levels and 4 dB of headroom to ensure that absolutely no audible distortion is detected even with peaks in your audio at high volumes. The frequency response range is an insane 0 Hz to 80 kHz with a flat, transparent sound signature. Monoprice is an audio gear manufacturer that provides high-quality equipment at a more reasonable price, including speakers, headphones, headphone amps, and DACs.
The Monolith THX features a large, easy to read display screen that shows volume level, input, signal, and the current settings. A large volume knob and Menu and Enter buttons are also featured. The Menu button also functions as the power button and a back button. These DACs are incredible, with a superb signal to noise ratio and allow for plenty of dynamic range without introducing any distortion into the audio.
The Monolith is great for any headphone and has plenty of power. The Monolith also functions as a preamp for more flexibility, so you can use powered speakers with it too. The frequency response range of the Monolith is 1 Hz to 40 kHz and the sound signature can be described as well-balanced and neutral, but also slightly warm. Bass is balanced and not overly exaggerated. Dynamic range is exceptional and clearly reproduces the audio and its energy. The timbre options make it very flexible, which adds to the excitement of listening to music with it.
Audiophiles and music producers alike will appreciate its flexibility and sound quality. I highly recommend this DAC if you have the money to spend on it. Cayin has a very nice DAC and headphone amp combo unit that is part of their i-series, which is their audio solution for audiophiles and music lovers in general. Another really nice feature is that the iDAC-6 Mk2 has two different types of timbre due to corresponding amplifier circuits: vacuum tube and solid-state.
You can get some really nice, warm audio from the vacuum tube circuit while also having a pretty accurate sound. You can use either circuit depending on your listening tastes and either way you will get very high-quality audio thanks to its 20 Hz to 50 kHz frequency response range, and it works with both the featured Line output and Preamp output.
The design is extremely sleek and the metal chassis is made to be quite durable as well. The D1 DAC and headphone amp from Audioengine is definitely one of the better cheap options for a DAC while still remaining in the lower-mid-price range.
I recommend it for beginner audiophiles who are starting to get into DACs and headphone amps. Audioengine has some very nice products for listening to high-quality audio, and their DAC and headphone amp options are pretty affordable compared to others available on the market.
The D1 has an impressive signal to noise level ratio, having very low noise and low distortion levels. The headphone amp has enough juice to power even the most power-hungry headphones and give them a good boost of high-fidelity audio. As for the controls of this DAC, there is no screen and no menu to use , making the operation very simple. No drivers are required to download before using this DAC, which is extremely convenient.
As for the sound of the Audioengine D1, the optical input has a bit of a better sound, more polished and refined. The frequency response range of the D1 is 10 Hz to 25 kHz, and you get a pretty flat, well-balanced sound. Detail in audio is very easy to hear with this DAC. Those that want high-quality audio from devices that may not output high-fidelity sound can hook it up to TVs and other devices and get high-quality audio in seconds.
Audiophiles, gamers, streamers, and those with home theaters will get a ton of use out of the D3 and its functionality. FiiO is one of the most popular brands that makes portable and more stationary DACs and headphone amps that are perfect for everyday use.
Don't dismiss my opinion as not carefully thought out without knowing whats behind it. The position is that the piece of gear actually has to be in your systems signal chain to evaluate it. I don't think "recordings" of audio gear are useful, thats all. If these shootouts are fun for readers then great but I don't think it really says anything about the performance of these dacs in a real world situation.
Search form Search. Analog Corner. News News Analog Gear News. Primary tabs View active tab Results Vote. All Files Now Corrected and Available.
Michael Fremer Mar 5, Choices File "1". File "2". File "3". File "4". File "5". File "6". File "7". They All Sound Identical to Me. Leave this field blank. So please listen to all files and vote for your favorite! This is a trade-off I accept because of the open sound of the cable compared to better shielded cables that are not as open. Log in or register to post comments. Submitted by mraudioguru on Thu, Problem fixed. There are other sound quality differences readily apparent I can comment on later.
The Files were normalized Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, AND figure out where the others went Swap re-recorded Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, There is some hum on some tracks. It's really not an issue related to the test I think we need some cable tests around here soon! Oh boy Submitted by Jazzfan62 on Fri, Nothing like a cable discussion to get the juices flowing.
0コメント