best budget amp with dac

[Andrewjvt]

Need help from you guys. Im helping a friend of mine get set up with a cheap hifi. Im looking for advice on the cheapest amps with built in dac. Was going to sell her my roksan k2 but she is on a very tight budget so i thought it would be better to recomend an amp with a built in dac.

Dont need help with speakers etc just the best bd cheapest amps with a built in dac

Thanks in advance

 

[Andrewjvt]

I know youll all ask the budget so ill say as cheap as possible but a max £400 on the amp. Usb input and iphone compatability a must.

 

[rainsoothe]

I know youll all ask the budget so ill say as cheap as possible but a max £400 on the amp. Usb input and iphone compatability a must.

well, I think there're like only two options, aren't there? Nad D3020 (smoother USB sound) or Micromega MyAmp (livelier presentation). Pair the Nad with Dali Zensor 3 or 1 and the Micromega with Q Acoustics and you're set 🙂

 

[Andrewjvt]

The nad is one of the amos i thought of first but am a little worried about the power available. What about a more traditional amp with a built in dac?

 

[SteveR750]

Amps with inbuilt DACs are still pretty rare at the budget end of the market. You're better off looking for a used amp and something like a Cambridge audio dacmagic. £400 should be more than enough for a decent map if you use that route.

 

[rainsoothe]

The nad is one of the amos i thought of first but am a little worried about the power available. What about a more traditional amp with a built in dac?

What do you mean by traditional? Traditional looking? I don't think you'll find bigger power rating on such a device within the specified budget - but you shouldn't worry too much about that. Doubling the power rating will only give you a 3 db increase - a 60W/ch amp will sound only 3db louder then a 30W/ch one (using the same speakers). Also, pairing efficient speakers helps - a speaker with 90db sensitivity will be much easier to drive and, as a result, sound louder then a 85db one (how much, I can't say, but some on this forum might be able to help you - it is a lot though). The Zensor 3 and Q Acoustics 3020 are both rated at 88db, which is ok. People drive KEF LS50 with Naim Unitiqute (which also has 30w/ch), and some even tried them with NAD D3020 and they said it was ok - not awesome, but good. The LS50 are rated at 85db sensitivity. By the way, not rooting for the NAD here, as I haven't heard it, but testers say it sounds bigger then it's modest power rating.

Also, your friend's room size, music taste and required sound levels matter - so that would be some useful information. But imo, for a 16-20 sq meter room and normal listening levels, the Nad or the Micromega + the recommended speakers are enough.

Of course there are alternatives. Moving up the pricepoints will get you the Quad Vena - which, if the space is huge, you can partner with the likes of Q Acoustics 3050 or the older 2050i - or, if her listening room is normal sized, Q Acoustics 3020 or Concept 20, Focal Aria 906 etc.

Another alternative is using a preamp dac with active speakers, but they'll have a utilitarian look - Maverick Audio Tube Magic D1 + Yamaha HS5 or HS7, or Adam A5x or A7x active studio monitors.

 

[rainsoothe]

These also seem to fit the bill ever so nicely, and might be the cleanest and cheapest sollution:

http://www.whathifi.com/epoz/aktimate-blue/review