Dussun T2i USB DAC/Integrated Amp Review
| Permalink | DACs under $1k , Headphone Amps , Integrated Amp under $1k , Writer: Robert Learner | Posted by Robert Learner on Jul 16 '09
PS Audio Digital Link III
PS Audio is jumping into the computer-based audio pond with their new Digital Link III DAC featuring USB. $995 gets you a TI Burr Brown chip upsampled to 192kHz, balanced and unbalanced outputs and a host of digital inputs. PS Audio really isn't banging the USB drum, hoping to brand the Digital Link III as a stand-alone DAC.
For those new to the USB/wireless cause, the great hope is a USB DAC combined with a computer can compete sonically with any stand-alone music server or CD player. When you remove the digital jitter and laser pickup issues of CD players, the sound can be theoretically vastly superior. Besides, there's nothing like having a massive library of your music available with the click of a button.
| Permalink | DACs under $1k | Posted by Josh Ray on Jul 25 '06
SonicFlare First Listen: Stello DA100 USB DAC
Oh, glorious day! USB audio is growing up! Yes, folks, here's a first peek at April Music's Stello DA100 USB DAC in for review here at SonicFlare. If you want the quick dirt, the DA100, at $695, does USB audio right and sounds just silly good.
While more comprehensive coverage will come later, here are a few snippets to get you salivating. Over the weekend, I had a chance to throw the Stello into the octagon with such giants as the $13000 Chord Blu transport/DAC combo and an older Linn player hooked up to an ATC/Linn system. If you're not familiar with ATC, they're an ultra high-end pro company with speakers sharper than razor blades. If you can't hear it over ATCs, then it's simply not there.
The Stello, if you look closely, is a complete DAC with multiple inputs including coax and optical (pic next page). The size of a ream of printer paper, the construction is first rate. Of course, next to the Cartier-inspired Chord gear with its blingified aluminum chassis and alien landing gear lights (pic next page), the Stello was just another black box. But, hey, what do you expect for $695? Source consisted of an Apple PowerBook running Lossless through iTunes.
Now, the most important part: how did the DA100 stack up to Chord and Linn? Would you believe me if I told you the Stello was better than both? If you answered "no" you get a shiny gold star. The Chord and Linn were hands down better. For 13 grand, there should be a significant difference. But switching between the Stello and the Chord, it was just amazing just how good the Stello was.
To delve into audiophile babble (I'm dirty, I know), the differences between the Chord and Linn were pronounced with the Chord having a much crisper and cleaner image while the Linn was warmer and more laid back. Personally, I like the Chord though others may cozy to the Linn (especially Linn's newer equipment). In any case, the Stello was like a Chord Blu-lite, hitting that same crisp and clean image but not as well.
So what percentage of performance did the Stello hit relative to the Chord? 70%? 80%? I'm not even going to touch that one, but the overall feeling is the Stello will give less expensive CD players a serious run for the money. It can't touch $13k but $2K? $3k? $10k? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.
I imagine the vast majority of the Stello's magic is simply due to the solid implementation of the USB input and the jitter-slaying qualities of hard disk-based audio. I did not get a chance to run the Chord Blu transport directly into the Stello to compare the DA100's DAC directly to the BLU's outboard DAC, but I imagine the Blu is vastly better. So chances are the performance results from the Stello are simply an indication of "USB done right" and the giant-slaying qualities of HDD audio. April Music makes highly regarded equipment, but I can't believe the DAC alone accounts for the monster performance.
Keep an eye out for more comparisons against lower priced CD players as well as other USB DACs. But, fellas, if this little sampler is any indication, you'll soon start seeing industry-wide reviews of USB DACs murdering CD players at double and triple the price. Mark my words, it's going to happen.
| Permalink | DACs under $1k , USB Audio | Posted by Josh Ray on Feb 20 '06
HiFi500 DA100 USB DAC
Taking a cue from the mild roar around USB audio, Korea's April Music has unleashed a new, low-priced component to help your transition to the glory land of hard disk-based audio. April Music, if you don't remember, blew up the scene with their Stello line of moderately priced separates. In Vegas they debuted a new line called Hifi500 which consists of a $595 HP100 headphone amp and, more importantly, the $695 DA100 USB DAC.
I had a chance to listen to the DA100 running into a powered NHT system in Vegas, not that I could tell you anything profound about its sound. The only USB DAC to get a lot of press recently is the $1750 Wavelength Brick which received responses along the lines of "well, it's interesting" in various magazines in the last few months. There are a few other options out there like Firestone's $120 Fubar USB DAC and, of course, Empirical's USB transports (mix in your own DAC) plus a handful of manufacturers shoehorning USB inputs into their integrated amps.
In any case, hit up the lovely hifi500 site for more details and - gasp - internet purchasing. If their Stello line is any indication, expect the DA100 to be killer.
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k | Headphone Amps | USB Audio
Audio Nemesis DC-1 Review
TNT-Audio goes into excellent detail on the Audio Nemesis $495 DC-1 DAC. It does some things great, some things not so great, and others just medium great. If you have the right speakers, the DC-1 may be a great choice...at least, that's what TNT-Audio says. Check it out.
Audio Nemesis DC-1
Audio Nemesis Home
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k
Harmony Design DA9 DAC Review
TNT Audio has a review of a cheap little DAC from Harmony Design that is surprisingly inexpensive for a product of such quality made in Sweden. In fact, there are very few DACs in the sub $1k market, most being built into receivers, pre-amps or CD players. The DA9 runs 460 Euros and gets TNT's nod for a great improvement to a budget rig.
DA9 DAC Review [TNT Audio]
Harmony Design Home
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k
Red Wine Audio USB Select
While it may not look like much, that, folks, is one of the first high-end USB transits. Priced at $499, the Red Wine USB Select is KISS simple - USB goes in, SPDIF or RCA comes out. You can either use the built-in DAC or your favorite external DAC. Oh, and it comes in black or black (or, actually, a real wood veneer...if you're willing to shell out the change for Omega Audio to mod it for you).
It's also battery powered (Red Wine's trademark). Battery power, for those who aren't aware of this little cult, means you can bypass all that noisy fluctuation every time your refrigerator kicks in. Red Wine's series of tiny battery amps and DACs have been blowing up the magazines and forums. All priced around $500, Red Wine's gear just may be your ticket to a life of audiophilia.
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k | USB Audio
Desktop Speaker Showdown
Audio Ideas Guide has a roundup of near-field monitors made specifically for computer use. Near-field, for those who don't know, is what happens when you don't have a huge room to listen to your speakers in and are forced to place them on whatever surface is available, usually your desk.
The "showdown" consists of comparing speakers from $99 to $2850. And, wouldn't you know it, the more the speakers cost, the better they sound. The speakers shown above are the wild child of the bunch, the Chinese Swans T200A, priced at $379.
We predict near-field will be a huge area of growth as digital audio moves moves from MP3 to higher-res formats like Apple's Lossless Codec, Ogg Vorbis and FLAC. Of course, most any 2-way speaker can easily be used for near-field, but it's interesting to see the marketing pushing specifically for desktop computer use.
AIG Loudspeaker Shootout [Audio Ideas Guide]
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k | Speakers $1k-2k | Speakers $2k-5k | Speakers under $1k | USB Audio
