A fine little DAC

Posted by: u5227470736789439 on 19 January 2010

I know that this very inexpensive DAC will have little attraction for most here, but I thought I would mention it, as it has become my replay amp, and Digital decoder.

This is the spec, though I do not claim to understand the significance!

The Mini USB DAC has been designed to give you a professional, portable audio interface for your Desktop, Notebook PC or Macintosh computer, utilizing the convenience of your computer's USB port; In fact, the Mini USB DAC is also class-compliant on Windows XP & Mac OS X 10.2.6 & higher, so no driver installation is necessary—just Plug and Play. The Mini USB DAC brings you USB, S/DIPF or Line inputs and stereo Line or Headphone outputs.
This Mini USB DAC made with high-quality component.......
Nichicon capacity, RIFA capacity, KOA resistors, NEC relay……
USB controller: Burr-Brown PCM2707
--Full speed transciever (REAL AUDIO 1.1)
--32KHz~48KHz/16BIT DELTA-SIGMA STEREO
Digital input receiver DIR9001
--The receiver used is more expensive and of better quality than the popular CS8412/4/6
used in all other DACs. It has many more music details and accurate sound you obtain.
Main DAC: Burr-Brown PCM1793
--24-Bit 192kHz Sampling Advanced Segment Audio Stereo DAC
--Dynamic Range: 113 dB THD+N: 0.001%
--8× Oversampling Digital Filter
OPAMP: Burr-Brown OPA2134
HeadPhone: Burr-Brown OPA2604+BC550*2+BC560*2 (Reference SOLO HeadPhone Amplifier)

All I can say it that it relieves the PC of duties as an amplifier, and the application of USB - thus bypassing the PC Sondcard - results is a nice improvement in quality.

The cost was £72 including postage. The wrinkle was that the post took a month from China! But this is good enough to allow for a long period of system stability for me!

ATB from George

PS: Tomorrow afternoon my venerable Minstrel SE speakers are leaving for their new home. I actually am a bit sad to see them the last time, but apartment living is not something that allows for comfortable use of loudspeaker replay for me. I would be very unhappy inflicting unwanted music on anyone, except threads in the Music Room!

Posted on: 29 April 2010 by Guido Fawkes

The files were stored as WAV. I have Tiger on the Mac and something called Audio Gateway with A2DP; I also have some apt-x developer software, which I got through darwin ports. I've had it on the Mac for over a year and only ever used it once with some wireless cans, which were horrible.

However, I clicked the little music icon on the top bar and there on the drop down menu was the Chordette. I selected it and entered the pin and it worked.

I understand all this stuff is built in to snow leopard and there are some you tubes of people using it. However, some say Apple's BT is a bit flaky so perhaps Audio Gateway still has a role though I'm not sure it is still supported.

However, I tried moving the mac away from the Chordette Gem and it didn't like it too much - I guess it is distance dependent. I also tried hi-res with the Chordette, but gave up - reverted to USB and it still didn't work - oh well that's computer audio for you.

I'd like to hear its big brother: the Quarter Deck, but that costs more than the nDAC so not really for this thread.

However, if you just want a nice simple little DAC that sounds as good as reputable CD player and you don't need S/PDIF and might want to use it wirelessly with an iPad or something then this is well worth a look (and listen).

Just found out Sennheiser make an apt-x BT dongle that could be used - still my loaner goes back tomorrow.