I'd like to get a dac to pair with my recently acquired O2/KGSS rig. I'm currently using my APL modded Philips SACD1000 but there's a pretty big portion of music that I only have on hard drives. I'd like to keep this as inexpensive as possible but if I can't find anything to my liking I'm willing to wait it out awhile. I'll mostly likely be using the DAC with a Squeezebox as the transport.

I'd like to get a dac to pair with my recently acquired O2/KGSS rig. I'm currently using my APL modded Philips SACD1000 but there's a pretty big portion of music that I only have on hard drives. I'd like to keep this as inexpensive as possible but if I can't find anything to my liking I'm willing to wait it out awhile. I'll mostly likely be using the DAC with a Squeezebox as the transport.

mac mini + duet for $1000

Single-ended or balanced?

Doesn't matter the KGSS has single-ended and balanced inputs.

go balanced tkams!!!

Apparently APL can convert your SACD 1000 into a DAC, or at least there's one in the wild.

http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=654

Not sure if you'd be willing to send yours off or if its still offered.

Your definition of inexpensive and mine are very different. What price range are you looking for? If you are talking like under $250 cheap, I can probably be persuaded to get rid of my MSB. Link II.

Audio Zone DAC-1

Perhaps a certain other member might be able to free up some time to give it a proper review

or either Museatex DAC

yeah! I like "suggest what you own threads"!

If he puts a "cheap" source to that O2/KGSS rig, I'll hire jacob to go kill him.

There was a Stello DA-100 listed on Head-Fi, that might make a decent, inexpensive source. Otherwise I'd be trying to get someone to build a Buffalo DAC for me (Twisted Pear's newest).

Apparently APL can convert your SACD 1000 into a DAC, or at least there's one in the wild.

http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=654

Not sure if you'd be willing to send yours off or if its still offered.

I've already sent a few e-mails about this and not surprisingly they've gone unanswered.

Audiozone DAC-1

Perhaps a certain other member might be able to free up some time to give it a proper review

I'm using it under pretty poor conditions for now but I like what I hear. I'm having some issues with the crap codec in the computer but a USB transport will fix that.

Your definition of inexpensive and mine are very different. What price range are you looking for? If you are talking like under $250 cheap, I can probably be persuaded to get rid of my MSB. Link II.

Good point, not that cheap but then again I don't want to spend too much more than 1k.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1217085475

Not trying to pimp stello since I've never heard any of it, but reviews seemed generally positive.

Oh, and I thought folks were fairly fond of Monarchy stuff too, but I could be getting confused now...

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1216844266

Has anyone heard the PS Audio digital link III dac? I typically despise PS Audio as a company, but it's one of the few under 1k dacs I haven't heard.

tkam:

I'd at least try a properly implemented NOS DAC with this combination. TDA1543, TDA1541, TDA1545, TDA1547 etc.

I have the exact same combo (KGSS + SR-007) as you do and prefer these DACs in this situation.

A Rakk DAC with passive output stage is way under $1000. I have never heard one though.

tkam:

I'd at least try a properly implemented NOS DAC with this combination. TDA1543, TDA1541, TDA1545, TDA1547 etc.

I have the exact same combo (KGSS + SR-007) as you do and prefer these DACs in this situation.

I've heard many nos dacs with the TDA chips and have hated pretty much all of them.

A Rakk DAC with passive output stage is way under $1000. I have never heard one though.

I have thought about that but I'd need someone to put it together for me though .

I have thought about that but I'd need someone to put it together for me though .

VVA to the rescue.

VVA is retired, you're better off talking to me.

FIFY

Jay is too busy riding bikes to work on electronics beyond the Beta Deuce Deuce

TKAM!!!!! *turns on the tkam signal*

I've heard many nos dacs with the TDA chips and have hated pretty much all of them.

Have you ever heard one of Pedja Rogic's NOS DACs? Strohmie's CD player / Dynamight had one of these in it. I'm building one, but have never heard one and conceptually I'm not sure I buy into the NOS hype.

Wait-- why am I building one???

I've heard many nos dacs with the TDA chips and have hated pretty much all of them.

oh-kay.