Home Source Components

Schiit just announced a DAC: http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=7 Can anyone speak for their choice of parts? Input Receiver, USB: C-Media CM6631 D/A Conversion IC: AKM4399 Kinda tempted even though I don't need a DAC right now....

... I should have a new Stello DA100 The DA100 appears to essentially be the single-ended section of the new DA220MKII Dear Zach Collier, Thank you for purchasing DA100. <--- Little do they know my money is worthless to them in South Korea As you may heard from the previous users, these equipment is not just a small boxes for the general audiophile but the real hi-end product for the pure music reproduction. <--- What is a general audiophile and why is he not concerned with pure music reproduction? You will see when you receive DA100. <---- Cool, I was just thinking how nice it would be to not have to wear contacts anymore... the DA100 will …

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone knew the output voltage of Cambridge Audio Azur 840c? Oddly enough, the information isn't in the manual (or I'm an idiot and may have simply missed it) and I haven't heard back from Cambridge Audio about it.

Listening to one right now... sounds excellent for the cost (~$25) and time spent building (~3 hours). I wish the position on the PCB where the coupling caps are could alternately accommodate a PCB mini-jack, as I'd prefer to use input coupling caps on each of my amplifiers (as opposed to the output coupling caps on the Bantam)..... this way I could tune the input cap values to the impedance of the specific amp I'd be using. Probably the output caps are more idiot-proof though. I've tried both the suggested Wima and Black Gate coupling caps and now prefer a pair of blue OS-CON caps that I stole off of swt61's old Opus More info: BantamDAC Overview

Techmoan buys 3 video disc players to see how well they function as CD players, and creates a spreadsheet to evaluate them.

First, does anyone have dimensions and a guess on weight? Second, how's the headout on this unit? Decent or great job with Grados? Finally, anyone know of a good online source for purchase of this DAC?

I'm going to upgrade my source, and it has to be a standalone dac so I can use it with my computer. But I was thinking that it should also do A/D conversion so I can make better needledrops. Does anybody know of some good, preferably under 1k A/D/A's?

Yes, no, maybe?

I have been sucked in the spiral of Stax and I feel I might end with an Omega II+SRM-717 before or later. I'm wondering what DAC would be up to the job. I am considering the OMZ 4.1 since it seems to have a soft tonality that I might like, and I am waiting with interest for the AMB Gamma 1, which still is "just" a small DAC (probably Pico competitor). Would these make justice to the Omega's, or should I go up to a Cambridge 840c and such? Thanks for any hints you can throw.

I finally spent some time critically listening to my recently-modded (by a Head-Caser, who shall remain anonymous) CA Azur 640C V2 after putting it off for far too long. Mods to the CDP included: - caps on main power, secondary, filter input, filter output, and de-coupling rolled to Rubycon Black Gates (not sure what was in place before) - 5 filter op-amps socketed and rolled to National LME49720 (from stock TI NE5532) - WIMA 0.1uF C0G cap inserted across the rails Before: (click for larger) After: (click for larger) And How Does It Sound? I tried to replicate my original 2006/07 setup as best as I could. The original setup back then was:…

Just reading this review over at audio asylum. Chinese made top loading/upsampling (192khz) redbook CDP. Employs two 12ax7 tubes. $689 at Pacific Valve. Your thoughts?

AudiogoN ForSale: Nakamichi Dragon CD - rare I haven't seen one of these for sale in a long while...

I was recently able to pick this up after a year or two of searching. I figured I'd post some pics that I had on hand, only internals atm. It uses 2 AD1862s, and has two outputs. One of them is fixed level while the other can be attenuated by a TKD pot. Supposedly this was a CES prototype so there's no power switch. Sounds great, a shame I can't compare it to my Spectral which recently melted down. Using it with a Legato 2, which was designed by the same guy (Jocko Homo)

I was talking to my dad this weekend and he wanted me to investigate a DAC/front end for his stereo system. His current source is a Technics 5-disc CD changer from the 90s, amplification is a Technics surround sound receiver of the same vintage (early-mid 90s), and no-name cables. I was thinking a Schiit Modi 3 might be a good start, but the system would need more smarts, so maybe something with streaming/network capability and DAC would be better. He does have music files stored on a bunch of hard drives, so maybe one large 6-8TB hard drive to consolidate them along with a wifi + interface head? He has an Android tablet, so maybe he could use that to control the ste…

http://www.psaudio.com/products/digital_link_iii_overview.asp Seriously, there's like nothing in there. Seems overpriced..

AudiogoN ForSale: Nottingham Horizon with Benz I've never heard a Nottingham table in my life before, but this deal looks decent. I remember Mike and someone else here had Nottingham tables, but it's a table much higher up in the product line, but does Nottingham have a family sound?

Turns out some of you are pretty obsessive about DACs. Fortunately, there's a lot of knowledge here about these silly machines, so I figured a thread dedicated to general DAC technology and questions could be useful. I envision questions/discussions about various chipses that our preciousss DACses use, ciruit design, implementation, etc. Here are some that I have to get started: 1) What is meant by a "true" or "fully" balanced DAC, and what would be some of the sonic advantages? 2) What are some of the iconic (canonical?) DAC chipses? And what are their characteristics? 3) What is your favored topology and why? 4) What's with this whole I/V thing…

EDIT/MODIFY 3/7/06: Through speaking with a variety of people I've decided on the JMW-9. Wisdom no longer sought! (thanks?) (I'll try to condense as much as possible). I had a terrible accident a few weeks ago which ruined my cartidge's stylus (Clearaudio Aurum Beta S Wood moving magnet) and due to the scheme (scam?) of when trading in an old cart for a new, I went with the much greater discount offered by choosing a more expensive cart-Dynavector Karat 17D2 MK.II moving coil. The discount offered for a cart of similar or just a little more value than the Beta S was too small. I recognized what was happening but didn't protest as it was my plan to move eventually…

Looking to get a second, decent, <US$1K universal player. Looking at: Marantz Oppo Arcam Denon Pioneer ...which others should I be looking at, and why? Looking to buy new, as the ridiculous amount of technology turnover makes it worrisome that components (especially the transport) will too quickly become irreplaceable. Oppo strikes me as the one to beat -- with an external DAC for redbook -- anyone have any serious contenders? I'd really like to think that the Marantz changer (VC6001) is pretty good, and is tempting if for no other reason than for its ability to play multiple disks.

Someone on the other board mentioned: I've not heard of this. Can anyone shed some light on what this accomplishes and who this RWA is?

It may possibly come to pass that I could soon be the owner of an EA Denon 9200. It will come with one EL34 tube, so I'll need to get a matched pair of tubes and fit them before I will hear it. A matched pair of Electro Harmonix EL34 will set me back

b-DAC Features & specs • USB, SPDIF and optical inputs, low jitter SPDIF output • Balanced and single ended outputs, including volume control, drive your power amp directly • Low jitter Tentlabs clock (<1ps rms jitter) feeding the sample rate converter and dedicated reclocking stages • 12 independent supply regulators • SRC4382 upsampler, selectable sample rate • 24 bits 192kHz PCM1792 DAC, all inputs reclocked • -117dB distortion at 0dBfs (thd 0,0006%) • Selectable filters and phase • All functions remote controlled • Striking design, includes milled aluminium front panel and stainless steel cabinet Updates • Expected delivery: next batch mid Janu…

Recently changed over my rig a little (including moving to a 16-bit DAC and thus back to an Airport Express) and when listening to several quietish opera tracks over the weekend I noticed many pops not there before. Originally thought something may have happened to the file, but narrowed it down to the APX. Have play files through Squeezebox Touch (fine), two Airport Expresses (not fine), on multiple outlets (not fine), under various power conditioning (not fine), with two DACs (not fine), wireless or wired (not fine), AirPlay from main computer or iPad (not fine) and a ton of tracks since (not fine). Firmware on both shows 7.5.2, which is current. Anyone else have proble…

An interesting new DAC with bluetooth and USB input by Chord, looks like a good computer source. Chordette Gem

we're using this player in our room at CES 29-321, it is mighty impressive. My choice for a reference level CD Player, smoking Good. The VAC Preamp and amps also impress mightily. The Symposium speakers after several years as a not quite ready for prime time are finally Readyfor Prime time. Still the system without cables and racks sells for $70,000 Here's hoping I get. good job so upgrading the audio system might become possible. I'm going to try and take some pictures to post.