What's the current 'go to' USB-DAC?

Alexrose1uk

Alexrose1uk

Alexrose1uk

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I'm currently using a trusty Fiio E17/E09 combination on my desk, however the other day I noticed the battery on the E7 seems to be bursting and has essentially forced the middle front and rear of the unit outwards! (kinda looks like it wants to explode or fall apart)

The unit still works, but I can't help but feel having seen that, that the E7 at least is not long for this world, and thus I need a replacement sound card/DAC as I don't want to return to Sandy-era onboard sound!

What alternatives should I be looking at nowadays, from a quick read around, I understand my Fiio has been long superseded!
 
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The Schiit Fulla II is a small DAC & Amp, simple but sounds good for £110

Next step would be the Schiit Modi 2 + Schiit Magni 2, a standalone DAC and solid state amp, at around £220 for the two.
 
Appreciated, I'll take a look into the Fulla, I think the Modi/Magni dual setup might be a bit too rich for me at the moment.
If there are any other good suggestions, more than willing to listen :)
 
A nice cheap option would be the FiiO E10K at £60

It's a tiny little USB powered desktop amp & DAC, so no battery to worry about and packs a surprising punch - strong enough to drive my AKG K702s and Sennheiser HD650s
 
Use a combination of Goldring Headphones/HD280Pros and Razer Carcharias v1 (which I believe used half decent drivers), however more often I'll be using lineout to feed my speakers.

Will definately look at both the E10K and Fulla 2 :)
 
A slightly on subject question. Does anyone know of any DACs that also have an optical in as well as USB? I currently use an Astro Mixamp TR. USB for my PC audio + optical in from my xbox so i can get audio in the same place without having to unplug in or plug in elsewhere. Conscious there must be a better solution out there. Using Audio-Technica HDGA1's (not the mic though i have a blue yeti for that).

Many Thanks
 
Schiit Modi 2 Uber has USB, Co-axial and optical but you would also need an amp as this is purely a DAC
 
I've also seen the SMSL M6 in a similar price range.
On paper that seems to be more advanced than the Schiit Fulla 2 or E10K. Anyone got any experience on how that compares?
 
good features but the operation is a bit clunky with the joystick, power output isn't great and sound quality, while good, isn't quite up to the Schiit standards.
 
One place I saw it compared against the Schiit Modi/Magni, seemingly relatively favourably in terms of sound quality for the price, so would that not suggest it's potentially better than the Fulla 2?

Or was the above incorrect info?

Headphone amp power within reason I'm not TOO worried about, as I don't have the most demanding cans, and will primarily running speakers off the line out, so overall sound quality is more important to me. Joystick being a bit clucky also doesn't worry me, I'll rarely be using it.
 
Alexrose1uk said:
I'm currently using a trusty Fiio E7/E09 combination on my desk, however the other day I noticed the battery on the E7 seems to be bursting and has essentially forced the middle front and rear of the unit outwards! (kinda looks like it wants to explode or fall apart)
Click to expand...
Think positively.
At least it has had space to expand into.:D
Unlike battery in certain Samsung...
As it's likely Li-Ion and those have seriously lacking sense of humour.

Alexrose1uk said:
Use a combination of Goldring Headphones/HD280Pros and Razer Carcharias v1 (which I believe used half decent drivers), however more often I'll be using lineout to feed my speakers.
Click to expand...
If satisfied for getting just two channel stereo sound for headphones everything is easy with lots of products to choose.
If wanting binaural sound for games then it's not so simple.
 
SHipsey said:
A slightly on subject question. Does anyone know of any DACs that also have an optical in as well as USB? I currently use an Astro Mixamp TR. USB for my PC audio + optical in from my xbox so i can get audio in the same place without having to unplug in or plug in elsewhere. Conscious there must be a better solution out there. Using Audio-Technica HDGA1's (not the mic though i have a blue yeti for that).
Click to expand...
Mixamp should be using Dolby Headphone for binaural sound and while Dolby's echo chamber isn't best I don't think you would like basic stereo sound gaming from fashionable "DACs" after that.
Outside AV-receivers there aren't much of external devices with that.
So there's that thing to consider.


And darn norovirus still messing with stomache after feeling better for half day, that "upstair's guy" deserves some critical feedback for creating that bugger...
 
EsaT said:
Think positively.
At least it has had space to expand into.:D
Unlike battery in certain Samsung...
As it's likely Li-Ion and those have seriously lacking sense of humour.

If satisfied for getting just two channel stereo sound for headphones everything is easy with lots of products to choose.
If wanting binaural sound for games then it's not so simple.
Click to expand...

Oh yes on the battery...bit of a shock when I saw it!
And also yes, primarily after quality stereo sound. Games can apply processing if they want/it's built in, but I'm not after some funky 5.1 to 2.0 binaural processor. As per your following post that was more Shipsey :)
 
I picked up a beresford dac/headamp and I love it, got mine in the mm but they appear on ebay, cost me £80 if I remember and it still going strong after atleast 3 years of ownership, burr Brown op amps and a lovely crisp sound, it has a line out and USB, 2x optical and coax inputs. You really can't go wrong for the money. I've become so accustomed to the sound I tried a schiit tube amp and sold it within a week.

I think the model I purchased is a tc7520 but there are others such as the caiman etc. Great sound, great features for very reasonable money.

For binaural or what ever virtual surround I suggest razer software, it's very good. My honest advise though is quality open back cans with a good amp and you have all the surround you need, sublime sound stage and epic separation makes 5.1 moot. I have Akg Q701 and use them for everything.
 
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Ended up picking up the SMSL M6 for the simple reason it's available to order on the rainforest for delivery in the next day or two; by contrast the Schiit would have had to have been ordered from further afield, and I don't trust the battery on that E17. It's lasted about 5 years so can't complain really (which itself replaced a Headroom Total Bithead)
Have seen the M6 compared to the Modi/Magni in a few places now, and typically seems to get held up as having roughly identical sound quality (Modi/Magni is more powerful amp however), so for my needs it should be perfect :)

A bit neater than my old E9+E17 setup too so win for wife acceptance factor.
The E10K was cheaper, but kinda feel that'd potentially be a step back from what I have now.
 
EsaT said:
Mixamp should be using Dolby Headphone for binaural sound and while Dolby's echo chamber isn't best I don't think you would like basic stereo sound gaming from fashionable "DACs" after that.
Outside AV-receivers there aren't much of external devices with that.
So there's that thing to consider.


And darn norovirus still messing with stomache after feeling better for half day, that "upstair's guy" deserves some critical feedback for creating that bugger...
Click to expand...


Good shout, thank you. Sorry to hear about the norovirus.
 
Kanifee said:
For binaural or what ever virtual surround I suggest razer software, it's very good. My honest advise though is quality open back cans with a good amp and you have all the surround you need, sublime sound stage and epic separation makes 5.1 moot. I have Akg Q701 and use them for everything.
Click to expand...
Nothing questionable in binaural sound.
How it (actually human hearing) works has been thoroughly studied decades ago.
Heck, principle of how to record sound in 3D like human hears it with two channels was invented over 130 years ago.
https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/12/...ural-immersive-vr-sound-times-square-new-york

And as headphones completely bypass how sounds from any direction reach both ears in real world without that taken into account in signal itself result isn't good:
Stereo signal mixed purely for speaker becomes very artificial with lots of "left ear" or "right ear" sound no matter the headphones.
Some mixing of L/R channels together/"crossfeed" removes artificial feeling, but any separation still stays limited to left and right axis.
Binaural sound is needed to expand separation to y and z axis.
Headphone quality/soundstage then limits how much separation of directions/depth can be felt.
With bad ones it's the size of bucket on head and everything sounds like coming from directly "front" of ears with no sense of depth.

And haven't yet found any recorded Razer Surround material which would make it anyhow special.
It messes frequency response seriously like CMSS-3D, but lacks all of its accuracy/depth.
Wouldn't wonder if it's tweaked for trying to cover flaws of those cheap Chinese bling bling headphones Razer puts big price sticker on...
Razer Surround vs X-Fi: CMSS-3D, Skyrim
Razer Surround 7.1 vs Creative SBX Pro Studio BF 4
Battlefield 4 with different soundcards and onboard


And while binaural-simulation would work best (especially height separation) from game's original raw sound data with sound samples and sound source locations in acoustical model of game environment that just doesn't happen really.
Sound aspect is clearly made for the "lowest common denomitor" in most games and without hardware acceleration sound cards get only sound already processed and flattened to discrete channels.
You can thank Microsoft for killing DirectSound3D in Vista...
Likely to make PC look not so much more advanced than consoles.
 
I think you maybe thought I was dumping binaural? I wasn't, I've heard it and am impressed with the results it produces, I simply ment that with good open back headphones that the separation and placement is far adequate for gaming. Also that razerrs software has a positive effect for lesser phones. Obviously hardware can and will do a better job but for the price tag I don't believe it is value.
 
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