Yeah I know what you mean, A lot of them don't include those. I was just missing some RCA inputs on the Yulong D100. I wanted to use the HP amp on the D100 but the DAC from the Audinst but there is no way I can do it... damned shame 
Thanks a lot for reporting about another very interesting looking DAC / amp from the list. Please report back after you have had a while longer to play with it too, I find that it takes a few weeks to really get used to these things.
Oh and I forgot to say, I got the Audinst HUD MX-1 yesterday. A nice little machine, pretty well made, nice volume dial. It's been very useful that it has both 3.5 & 6.4mm headphone sockets. The sound is a great upgrade from the default PC output - nicely detailed and controlled, less smooth and a tad dull compared to the Yulong D100 but then that's expected at nearly 3 times the price and a much bigger unit so I'm not too shocked there.
I paid £112 direct from the company (eBay - which seems to be the only way to buy) and I would say that's pretty good value. It runs fine off of USB power and can easily drive the AKG Q701 - loud at 50% as opposed to the Denon D7000 / VModa M-80 being loud around 25%. You probably only need to plug it in to the wall for 600ohm headphones but there is a jumper on the motherboard for that too (which is a bit odd). The adapter has a USA plug that takes 100-240v, it has an EU converter so to get it to work in the UK you'll need to buy a UK converter, if you think you need the extra power.
I turned the volume up to 100% on a silent track and got absolutely no hum, no static - absolutely nothing. RCA out for an external amp or powered speakers is great for such a small and light device but I understand the SPDIF out less, an SPDIF in would have been more useful but oh well.
It doesn't seem to be able to support the ASIO4LL driver but WASAPI works just fine and gave a noticable improvement.
Here's a pic of it next to the D100 for some scale...
Oh and I forgot to say, I got the Audinst HUD MX-1 yesterday. A nice little machine, pretty well made, nice volume dial. It's been very useful that it has both 3.5 & 6.4mm headphone sockets. The sound is a great upgrade from the default PC output - nicely detailed and controlled, less smooth and a tad dull compared to the Yulong D100 but then that's expected at nearly 3 times the price and a much bigger unit so I'm not too shocked there.
I paid £112 direct from the company (eBay - which seems to be the only way to buy) and I would say that's pretty good value. It runs fine off of USB power and can easily drive the AKG Q701 - loud at 50% as opposed to the Denon D7000 / VModa M-80 being loud around 25%. You probably only need to plug it in to the wall for 600ohm headphones but there is a jumper on the motherboard for that too (which is a bit odd). The adapter has a USA plug that takes 100-240v, it has an EU converter so to get it to work in the UK you'll need to buy a UK converter, if you think you need the extra power.
I turned the volume up to 100% on a silent track and got absolutely no hum, no static - absolutely nothing. RCA out for an external amp or powered speakers is great for such a small and light device but I understand the SPDIF out less, an SPDIF in would have been more useful but oh well.
It doesn't seem to be able to support the ASIO4LL driver but WASAPI works just fine and gave a noticable improvement.
Here's a pic of it next to the D100 for some scale...
A small update to the DAC / amp list. Added a 'Red Wine Isabellina' & a couple models from 'Audio-GD'.
**Click HERE to see full size (New Window)**
**Click HERE to see full size (New Window)**
Deliriumbassist
Well-known member
Just gotten home with my rPac- first impressions are solid- tried first with Alter Bridge's "Slip to the Void" from ABIII, and there's a whole bit with a tremolo bar that I never noticed before. Bass is also tighter, punchier when running through my Roksan K2. Will make a proper thread/review once I've played with it a bit.
You may want to add the Resonessence Invicta to the list. Arguably the best DAC/Headphone amplifier around at the moment.
www.resonessence.co.uk
www.resonessence.co.uk
Hey Phil thanks for info, I have now added it to the list, I will upload the new one soon but got a few more to add tomorrow. The Resonessence fills a nice gap between the two top end ones. I wonder how many more there are to find...
Not sure if you wished to add some coming soon, however furutech are due to launch the esprit and stride soon. they currently have the cruise headphone employer out to sit alongside their gt40.
Thanks Phil! I will look at adding them as soon as I can find the specs for them.
Here is an update for the list. Added some Musiland, Calyx and Audio-gd models
**Click here to see it full size**
Here is an update for the list. Added some Musiland, Calyx and Audio-gd models
**Click here to see it full size**
idc
Well-known member
The Arcam rPAC
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rseries,usb-dacs,rPAC.htm
£150, USB DAC and headphone amp. Simple and rather pretty.
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rseries,usb-dacs,rPAC.htm
£150, USB DAC and headphone amp. Simple and rather pretty.
Thanks idc, that one does look very interesting. The rPac is already on the list but I have added a couple of models from Musiland & AudioTrak / ESI.
Also I have split this into 2 different price brackets as it's getting too big now (£250 is the split but only because it's in the middel of the list... Enjoy
**Click HERE for full size DAC / amp list below £250**
**Click HERE for full size DAC / amp list above £250**
Also I have split this into 2 different price brackets as it's getting too big now (£250 is the split but only because it's in the middel of the list
... Enjoy
**Click HERE for full size DAC / amp list below £250**
**Click HERE for full size DAC / amp list above £250**
Hi there Quadpatch!
Indeed a nice work!!!
In addition, what would be very useful for certain users (as for instance for me :wave: ), would be a column saying, wether Analogue-to-Digital-Conversion is supported, or not. The Furutech ADL GT40 and ADL Esprit have this feature, for instance.
It is important to me, as I do a lot of Vinyl back-up up to 24/96 - files. And the maket for hi-fi-gear being capable of this, is very thin. Until recently, I was pratically stuck to portable musicians gear. I used a E-MU 0404 USB for this purpose, and was quite happy with its sound performance, however, I damaged it... (by connecting it the wrong way to my linear power supply, I am still kicking my own behiind for that...). Anyway, this is the moment for an upgrade, rather than a downgrade, and I am looking for A/D - USB - gear, made with HiFi in mind.
I started a little comparison over there at the head-fi forum:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/606173/comparison-adc-interface-for-hifi-recording-1000-usb-pre2-adl-esprit-rme-babyface-adl-gt40-other-analogue-digital-usb-convertsers-experiencies-comparisons-reviews
However, there might be other devices in your list, that have the feature, of converting analogue to digital. So, if you still have all those specs with you, it would be indeed extremely useful to see this in your table!
Cheers!
Indeed a nice work!!!
In addition, what would be very useful for certain users (as for instance for me :wave: ), would be a column saying, wether Analogue-to-Digital-Conversion is supported, or not. The Furutech ADL GT40 and ADL Esprit have this feature, for instance.
It is important to me, as I do a lot of Vinyl back-up up to 24/96 - files. And the maket for hi-fi-gear being capable of this, is very thin. Until recently, I was pratically stuck to portable musicians gear. I used a E-MU 0404 USB for this purpose, and was quite happy with its sound performance, however, I damaged it... (by connecting it the wrong way to my linear power supply, I am still kicking my own behiind for that...). Anyway, this is the moment for an upgrade, rather than a downgrade, and I am looking for A/D - USB - gear, made with HiFi in mind.
I started a little comparison over there at the head-fi forum:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/606173/comparison-adc-interface-for-hifi-recording-1000-usb-pre2-adl-esprit-rme-babyface-adl-gt40-other-analogue-digital-usb-convertsers-experiencies-comparisons-reviews
However, there might be other devices in your list, that have the feature, of converting analogue to digital. So, if you still have all those specs with you, it would be indeed extremely useful to see this in your table!
Cheers!
Hey thanks ursdiego! I'm glad you like the list .
I did think about adding a collumn for ADC (bi-directional USB) on the list, the reason I didn't was that the GT40 was the only device out of nearly 80 to support it. If a few more companies did it then I might consider it but I think it's a bit too niche.
On a side note ADL are off my Christmas list at the moment because of their pricing. Nearly £400 in the UK but about half that in Denmark of all places, quite why that is just confuses the heck out of me, Denmark is not a cheap place! It seems like ADL are taking advantage of the UK super TAX phenomenon.
.I did think about adding a collumn for ADC (bi-directional USB) on the list, the reason I didn't was that the GT40 was the only device out of nearly 80 to support it. If a few more companies did it then I might consider it but I think it's a bit too niche.
On a side note ADL are off my Christmas list at the moment because of their pricing. Nearly £400 in the UK but about half that in Denmark of all places, quite why that is just confuses the heck out of me, Denmark is not a cheap place! It seems like ADL are taking advantage of the UK super TAX phenomenon
.OK... sad that nobody except for Furutech/ADL has realised that AD-recording is a need of the hifi-consumers...!
With regards to the pricing: Well well and I thought, we were the only in Switzerland to systematically pay twice the price than anybody else. However, it always depends very much on what and where.
As far as Furutech / ADL is concerned, I saw that in the US prices are way lower than within the EU. What I realised as well is, that dealers in the EU have apparently a large marge elbowroom with regards to the pricing. I got a quote with 15% of rebate, without even asking for it... So maybe, it is not Furutech / ADL who do the pricing, but the distributors.
Maybe you might get a decent rebate from your UK distributor if asking...? If telling him, that you could get it cheeper in the US, even if paying the UK import taxes...?
With regards to the pricing: Well well and I thought, we were the only in Switzerland to systematically pay twice the price than anybody else. However, it always depends very much on what and where.
As far as Furutech / ADL is concerned, I saw that in the US prices are way lower than within the EU. What I realised as well is, that dealers in the EU have apparently a large marge elbowroom with regards to the pricing. I got a quote with 15% of rebate, without even asking for it... So maybe, it is not Furutech / ADL who do the pricing, but the distributors.
Maybe you might get a decent rebate from your UK distributor if asking...? If telling him, that you could get it cheeper in the US, even if paying the UK import taxes...?
It seems like they charge what they think they can get away with and how can we blame them, it's business at the end of the day. I guess I am surprised by the logic, it feels to me like they would sell a lot more if the price was lower, thus making them more profit but what do I know. I have never been succesful at bartering with shops on prices for tech like this, maybe I should try more.
As for the AD converter on a DAC: To be honest I get why they don't include the feature on most DACs. I wouldn't want the feature and I can see why a most others wouldn't want to pay for it to be included either. If it was really that much in demand the GT40 would be sell like hot cakes and then other manufacturers would follow suit.
I have just realised that I did add a collumn on the list for ADC. How stupid of me, it's just not that clear and I forgot. There is one more DAC that does it but it's the cheapest one (Fiio D5). Anyway the collumn is 'USB' under the 'Outputs' section. Which says that it can take analogue and feed digital back through the USB. As you will see those were the only two models that have a green '1' in the box. Sorry about that, where is my brain.
As for the AD converter on a DAC: To be honest I get why they don't include the feature on most DACs. I wouldn't want the feature and I can see why a most others wouldn't want to pay for it to be included either. If it was really that much in demand the GT40 would be sell like hot cakes and then other manufacturers would follow suit.
I have just realised that I did add a collumn on the list for ADC. How stupid of me, it's just not that clear and I forgot. There is one more DAC that does it but it's the cheapest one (Fiio D5). Anyway the collumn is 'USB' under the 'Outputs' section. Which says that it can take analogue and feed digital back through the USB. As you will see those were the only two models that have a green '1' in the box. Sorry about that, where is my brain
.Overdose
Well-known member
Try this one.
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/our-products/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/our-products/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/
Thanks Overdose. Are you going to get this? I will stick this on the list as soon as I see a review, might be tempted to get this myself.
Overdose
Well-known member
I am going to wait for the desktop amp project to be released. This looks exactly like the sort of no-nonsense product that I like though. No bull and actually seems properly designed and tested.
Very nice results.
Very nice results.
Hello Quadpatch,
That's so awesome list.
Appreciate your hard work.
I need u r advise pls. I have Asus G74sx laptop as source,and Musical fidelity V-dac and V-psu. Which option will be the best to hear Flac files,just buying a headphone amp and then connect to the v-dac(Hope it supports) or buying a Amp &Dac combined one.
If so could u pls recommend something around 300 pounds pls.
Regard's
That's so awesome list.
Appreciate your hard work.
I need u r advise pls. I have Asus G74sx laptop as source,and Musical fidelity V-dac and V-psu. Which option will be the best to hear Flac files,just buying a headphone amp and then connect to the v-dac(Hope it supports) or buying a Amp &Dac combined one.
If so could u pls recommend something around 300 pounds pls.
Regard's
Hey, really glad you appreciated the list
Which headphones are you going to use with it btw, that doesn't matter I'm just curious. Anyway since you already own a decent DAC you could of course just buy a headphone amp but I don't know too much about them yet. I only have combined units at the moment.
From what I have read the combined ones can offer better value for reasonable costs and a more convinient solution for headphones anyway but it's up to you if you don't mind ditching your current DAC for that. I can highly recommend the Yulong D100 mkII if you do look to go down this road, it is around the price you mention. You don't see many reviews out there for the mkII version but I love mine! I haven't heard the DACMagic plus or Asus Essence One (which are similar prices) when I did my research the Yulong seemed like the most best choice and I don't regret it.
I have since heard the Audiolab M-DAC and am lusting after that too but it's twice the price!
Which headphones are you going to use with it btw, that doesn't matter I'm just curious
. Anyway since you already own a decent DAC you could of course just buy a headphone amp but I don't know too much about them yet. I only have combined units at the moment.From what I have read the combined ones can offer better value for reasonable costs and a more convinient solution for headphones anyway but it's up to you if you don't mind ditching your current DAC for that. I can highly recommend the Yulong D100 mkII if you do look to go down this road, it is around the price you mention. You don't see many reviews out there for the mkII version but I love mine! I haven't heard the DACMagic plus or Asus Essence One (which are similar prices) when I did my research the Yulong seemed like the most best choice and I don't regret it.
I have since heard the Audiolab M-DAC and am lusting after that too but it's twice the price!
quadpatch said:
Great
Anyway, of course, not everybody needs it... they might include it as an option, too, or even, manufacture pure a-d-converters with the hifiers perspective. Like the Benchmark ADC 1 USB. A litte bit expensive, however
.what is the usb sampling rate of ibasso d12? i read that is 16/48 but in your list appear that is 24/96. :quest:
I'm not sure where I got that info off the top of my head now. When I look around Google now I can only find one source mentioning it. It does say 24/96 but its not massively reliable. Strange that it doesn't say on the I basso site, I could have sworn it was on there.
I wrote to ibasso and they responded:
Hi,
Thank you for your email.
The D12's USB sample rate is 16/48. The optical and coaxial is 24/96.
If you need 24/96 via USB, you can consider the D6.
If you need 24/192 via USB, you can consider the D7.
Sincerely
Hi,
Thank you for your email.
The D12's USB sample rate is 16/48. The optical and coaxial is 24/96.
If you need 24/96 via USB, you can consider the D6.
If you need 24/192 via USB, you can consider the D7.
Sincerely
Hi, quadpatch.
I've just upgraded my Novo to the slee solo with the upgraded PSU1.
I am going to upgrade My Audio Technica M50's now also and was considering AKG Q701's.
What do you think?
Also if you remember I do enjoy My Bass
Any input gladly appretiated.
I've just upgraded my Novo to the slee solo with the upgraded PSU1.
I am going to upgrade My Audio Technica M50's now also and was considering AKG Q701's.
What do you think?
Also if you remember I do enjoy My Bass
Any input gladly appretiated.
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