DAC for under $50

[Pauleh]

I have a Bravo V2 coming in the mail, and saw this neat mod in the massdrop comments where you raise up the top of the amp and slide the DAC PCB below it (see attached screenshots). I need a DAC that is better then my UCA 222  for under $50 (including tax and shipping east coast USA). This DAC needs to be small enough to fit in the footprint of the amp. I could 100% care less about how this DAC looks, or if it even has a case at all because I will be taking the casing off. I am willing to buy second hand, or from reletivly unknown company's. I will be using this DAC with a AKG K7XX, MDR V6, and Bose AE2. 

 

Should I just rip apart the UCA 222? Or should I buy somthing for $55? Thanks for any suggestions.

[Pauleh]

Bump 

[Hamako]

Stoner UD120 perhaps? Not sure what the current price is, but it was 69$ at launch. Probably less now, so you might want to fire an E-mail to Stoner Acoustics. They might also still have the UD100 in stock, which was 49$ at launch. Both are extremely small and I have been very satisfied with the sound quality on my UD120.

[Jacona]

Welp took a look at your motherboard and it does look pretty old and sketchy.

 

I'd just do what the guy in your message did and buy one of those PCM2704 DACs floating around on Amazon and Ebay, they should be on par or maybe even better than modern mainstream motherboard audio.

Example, could probably find a cheaper one. 

http://www.amazon.com/Signstek-Coaxial-Converter-Decoder-Analogue/dp/B00FEDHHKE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1460242196&sr=8-4&keywords=PCM2704

 

I actually have one laying around, would definitely sell for like 10-15 to you if you lived a tiny bit closer (In Maryland). 

 

 

[Pauleh]

On 4/9/2016 at 1:51 PM, Hamako said:

Stoner UD120 perhaps? Not sure what the current price is, but it was 69$ at launch. Probably less now, so you might want to fire an E-mail to Stoner Acoustics. They might also still have the UD100 in stock, which was 49$ at launch. Both are extremely small and I have been very satisfied with the sound quality on my UD120.

I looked at stoner acoustics stuff, but contacting them and viewing their products was very confusing, so I decided to look elsewhere, but I might give it another shot in the future. 

 

I have decided to bite the bullet and grab the smsl M8 that is on massdrop right now. The mod would be cool, but I don't have the time to do it, and I couldn't find a good dac in my budget that could fit in the footprint of the tiny tube amp. The whole Idea was to save money on a good dac because I wasn't paying for the casing, but I realized its quite hard to find something that fits my needs at my price point. 

 

Thanks for the help anyway.                                                                        -Pauleh 

[Pauleh]

On 4/9/2016 at 6:52 PM, Jacona said:

Welp took a look at your motherboard and it does look pretty old and sketchy.

 

I'd just do what the guy in your message did and buy one of those PCM2704 DACs floating around on Amazon and Ebay, they should be on par or maybe even better than modern mainstream motherboard audio.

Example, could probably find a cheaper one. 

http://www.amazon.com/Signstek-Coaxial-Converter-Decoder-Analogue/dp/B00FEDHHKE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1460242196&sr=8-4&keywords=PCM2704

 

I actually have one laying around, would definitely sell for like 10-15 to you if you lived a tiny bit closer (In Maryland). 

 

 

I have replaced the integrated dac on my motherboard for a rather nice ( for the price point ) UCA 222. The motherboard audio was literally THE WORST integrated audio card I have ever heard in my life, but I don't blame the computer, as it was meant for home offices and workstations, not pro audio and gaming. 

 

 

I looked into the PCM2704 dac, but I decided that it was either worse or not any better then the dac I currently had now, and wanted the option to use 24/96 and/or 24/192. Thanks for the offer on the dac, bit as I said, I'm looking for something a touch better (I do live quite close to DC / Maryland tho).

 

I have decided to bite the bullet and get the SMSL M8 that is on massdrop at the moment. The mod would be cool, but I don't have the time to do it, and I couldn't find a good dac in my budget that could fit in the footprint of the tiny tube amp. The whole Idea was to save money on a good dac because I wasn't paying for the casing, but I realized its quite hard to find something that fits my needs at my price point. 

 

Thanks for the Help anyway                                                          

                                                                                                                              -Pauleh