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Post by dougie085 on Jul 31, 2009 23:12:48 GMT -5
I nearly spent >$500USD to have the ERC-1 shipped to my home in Canada. A DAC is definitely what I am looking for. But my opinion on a volume control for a DAC is not positive. I did purchase a Yulong DAH1mark recently on audiogon. It is a headphone amp and pre-amp too. Not what I wanted, but it was cheap. I would love to have a pure DAC unit that is stripped of the mark up for features that are piratically useless in a DAC. How many people who purchase separates actually use no pre-amp? I mean there is no volume control on the ERC-1. I am not sure if the market is big enough for two DACs, but maybe a small UDC-1 unit and a rack sized XDC-1 unit with extra features will work out in everyone's favour. Either way, as long as the volume stays in the digital domain, I will probably get the rack sized unit. I also agree with the 24/96 USB. I think that will be a high selling point. I don't see many DACs with that option that are affordable at all. A 16/48 USB would be all but useless to me and force me to continue to use the SPDIF on my dated soundcard. Lonnie, will the DAC have balanced outputs? And have you considered a passive analog stage without opamps? Minimum components should always be a priority. But I won't claim to know anything about building a DAC. NekoAudio made such a DAC and caught my interest. But they want over $1000USD for it, so I will never buy one. A friend of mine got the Yulong and turns out it has quite a few problems.
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Post by dougie085 on Jul 31, 2009 23:16:08 GMT -5
For the most part a DAC is like a sound card. You put in digital inputs and generally a good DAC will give you better performance because a lot of cheaper devices or computer sound cards just don't have good DAC's or they just aren't implemented right at all. Right now the best use I've found for a DAC is on a music server style system. There is no sound card that'll beat a good DAC so running a good digital out to a DAC gives you superb sound for you digital collection (in lossless of course as MP3's will be brought to their knees with a good DAC). Honestly most DAC's are way over priced because people have problems selling them. This DAC would be amazing if it uses the AD1955's because there aren't really any stand alone DAC's out there that use it! I've looked for a long time so I'd probably have to purchase this ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) A volume control would be amazing because personally I like to have the least amount of devices in my 2 channel system. Straight from source to amp always sounds the best.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2009 12:29:59 GMT -5
no offence dougie but have you heard any high end soundcards on good speaker setup? I'm not talking about creative etc. but an actual pro soundcard?
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Post by robin on Aug 9, 2009 20:14:36 GMT -5
This DAC would be amazing if it uses the AD1955's because there aren't really any stand alone DAC's out there that use it! Actually the Yulong DAH1 does.
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Post by dougie085 on Aug 9, 2009 21:56:57 GMT -5
The DAH1 does yes but its a horrible DAC very poorly built. So I don't count it Yes I've heard some great sound cards. But nothing that compares to my stand alone DAC that I have now.
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ratmice
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Post by ratmice on Aug 11, 2009 16:22:45 GMT -5
Is it ready yet?
<ducks, covers>
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Post by bigred7078 on Aug 11, 2009 21:14:00 GMT -5
Is it ready yet? <ducks, covers> there hasnt been any delays yet, so of course not ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png)
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Post by drsteve on Aug 19, 2009 13:58:06 GMT -5
I am with Lonnie and Al Bundy. The "rack" size is cooler and very sexy. The larger version could also afford the "real estate" to put in a better power supply (not just some crappy wall wart) which would improve performance.
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Post by gocolts on Aug 19, 2009 14:09:20 GMT -5
Also, it'd be nice to have multiple coax and optical inputs, for those of us who might have a cable box, DVD player, etc, which all use either a coax or optical output that we want to plug into a USP-1 for 2 channel output.
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Post by gocolts on Aug 19, 2009 14:10:56 GMT -5
Is it ready yet? <ducks, covers> there hasnt been any delays yet, so of course not ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png) It'll come out of nowhere, and they'll get 10 in, so if you happen to be on vacation that week good luck to ya.... ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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lwt-bo
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Post by lwt-bo on Aug 19, 2009 16:17:50 GMT -5
Any chance this will show up at the RMAF? Or is this more of a Christmas 2009 wish list item? Hmmm, maybe the "wife" would like one for Valentines day? ;D
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MikeWI
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Post by MikeWI on Aug 19, 2009 22:39:53 GMT -5
I'd vote for both: - rack mount larger and - smaller version for office/computer
If only one is available I'd go for the larger.
Mike
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Post by techfan on Aug 20, 2009 8:37:37 GMT -5
I know it probably isn't practical or doable, but I agree with 'both' for different applications. If I have to pick one, though, I'd probably go with the larger one....
Randy
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Post by hammick on Aug 20, 2009 10:30:32 GMT -5
For the most part a DAC is like a sound card. You put in digital inputs and generally a good DAC will give you better performance because a lot of cheaper devices or computer sound cards just don't have good DAC's or they just aren't implemented right at all. Right now the best use I've found for a DAC is on a music server style system. There is no sound card that'll beat a good DAC so running a good digital out to a DAC gives you superb sound for you digital collection (in lossless of course as MP3's will be brought to their knees with a good DAC). Honestly most DAC's are way over priced because people have problems selling them. This DAC would be amazing if it uses the AD1955's because there aren't really any stand alone DAC's out there that use it! I've looked for a long time so I'd probably have to purchase this ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) A volume control would be amazing because personally I like to have the least amount of devices in my 2 channel system. Straight from source to amp always sounds the best. I am very interested in this rack mount DAC. I have an HP touchscreen on the wall in my basement with a built in Soundmax card. I run the digital out (coax) to a Marantz SR6003. I am assuming even with a quality DAC that I will still have to make ASIO work so I can get bit-perfect? I cannot run a USB cable from the Touchsmart but I have a spare CAT-5E cable and I could install usb baluns on each end of the CAT-5E. Does ASIO come into play when using USB?
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MikeWI
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Post by MikeWI on Aug 20, 2009 19:47:22 GMT -5
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Post by GreenKiwi on Aug 21, 2009 19:48:16 GMT -5
Oh oh oh.... I want one! Maybe two!!!
I will definitely be getting one of these to complete my listening setup at work. Need balanced out's. Currently I'm using an RME audio card. It works, but this would be much nicer. Glad to see USB is on the list.
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Post by bearfan51 on Aug 23, 2009 14:41:46 GMT -5
If doable, both sizes!
The rack mount, with all the bells & whistles, and the smaller, bare-bones unit.
Question for Lonnie: Will the volume control be independent for each source? Would be IDEAL for level-matching components. (if possible)
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Post by bearfan51 on Aug 29, 2009 11:40:25 GMT -5
Question for Lonnie: Will the volume control be independent for each source? Would be IDEAL for level-matching components. (if possible) Bump!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2009 12:04:06 GMT -5
I think Lonnie should be back from the far east either soon or just arrived. Jet lag is a bi*#@
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cawgijoe
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Post by cawgijoe on Sept 2, 2009 12:16:38 GMT -5
Any idea of when these miight be available? Price?
Reason I ask is that a friend is interested in buying a new DAC to use with his Duet receiver and Sony XA7ES cd player and wants XLR to go with his equipment. He is looking at the Cambridge Audio magic. I told him to hold off.
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