Looking for recommendations for DAC

[Sparkling Soap]

I have recently gotten a pair of HD 598s and I hear alot of EMI.

 

I want to buy a cheap DAC to fix the EMI sound going through my headphones.

 

Can anyone recommend me a good desktop DAC (I don't care about portability) under $100 that will fix the EMI sound and won't lessen my sound quality?

 

My onboard audio is Realtek® ALC1150 codec.

[elira]

Fulla 2. http://schiit.com/products/fulla-2

[Sparkling Soap]

27 minutes ago, elira said:

Fulla 2. http://schiit.com/products/fulla-2

whats the difference between the fulla 1 and the fulla 2? just curious since the fulla 1 is 40 dollars cheaper

[elira]

10 minutes ago, Sparkling Soap said:

whats the difference between the fulla 1 and the fulla 2?

Advantages of the Fulla 1:

• It's smaller.
• It's cheaper.
• 1/8 headphone output.

Advantages of the Fulla 2:

• Has a newer DAC chip.
• Can work as an amp.
• Has preamp out.
• Has a lineout.
• Can be powered independently. (It has two micro usb ports, one for power, and other for data/power)
• Has a better volume pot.
• 1/4 inch headphone output.

I used a Fulla 1 for various months, it's a good option if you don't need the additional features of the Fulla 2.

[VioletGiraffe]

I can wholeheartedly recommend the ODAC, but you will need a headphone amp to pair with it.

I've also listened to a couple DIY desktop DAC+amp combinations made by knowledgeable people from good components. They all sounded indistinguishable from my EMU 0404 USB. Hence, I can recommend EMU 0404 as a complete and reliable package.

[Dackzy]

3 hours ago, VioletGiraffe said:

I can wholeheartedly recommend the ODAC, but you will need a headphone amp to pair with it.

I've also listened to a couple DIY desktop DAC+amp combinations made by knowledgeable people from good components. They all sounded indistinguishable from my EMU 0404 USB. Hence, I can recommend EMU 0404 as a complete and reliable package.

I wholeheartedly don't recommend the ODAC.

It looks good on the spec side of things, but the actual audio you get from it is worse than what you get from a schiit modi 2 and last time I checked the modi 2 was like 50$ less.

Yes I own a O2/ODAC, do I wish I didn't? yep... There are simply better options now

14 hours ago, Sparkling Soap said:

whats the difference between the fulla 1 and the fulla 2? just curious since the fulla 1 is 40 dollars cheaper

the fulla 1 is decent, but the new fulla 2 is quite a bit better and the 40$ extra is 100% worth it if you ask me.

[VioletGiraffe]

20 hours ago, Dackzy said:

I wholeheartedly don't recommend the ODAC.

It looks good on the spec side of things, but the actual audio you get from it is worse than what you get from a schiit modi 2 and last time I checked the modi 2 was like 50$ less.

I have no doubt that has truly been your experience, but I very strongly suspect low price of the Modi 2 is exactly the reason you've liked it more. ODAC is a reference-level transparent DAC. Modi probably has distortions that you happen to like, that's why you rated it higher. I, on the other hand, avoid equipment that produces distortions so high they can be heard by human ear (and not only measured by sensitive equipment).

 

How much do you want for your ODAC?

 

P. S. O2 amp is great, too, I have it as well.

[Dackzy]

2 minutes ago, VioletGiraffe said:

I have no doubt that has truly been your experience, but I very strongly suspect low price of the Modi 2 is exactly the reason you've liked it more. ODAC is a reference-level transparent DAC. Modi probably has distortions that you happen to like, that's why you rated it higher. I, on the other hand, avoid equipment that produces distortions so high they can be heard by human ear (and not only measured by sensitive equipment).

 

How much do you want for your ODAC?

 

P. S. O2 amp is great, too, I have it as well.

actually it is not the distortion at all, the implementation on the modi 2 is better. The ODAC is very forward in its sound and the detailing isn't that good compared to the newer options.

 

I have the combo not the stand alone ODAC and O2, I want 135€ for it. Seems to be cheap since they normally go for about 150-160€ used

[VioletGiraffe]

13 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

The ODAC is very forward in its sound and the detailing isn't that good compared to the newer options

If the "newer options" produce ringing, for example, that can be mistaken for better detailing (i. e. the details were not in the recording and the DAC adds them due to distortions). Subsequently, if your reference sound is recessed, then naturally the correct sound would seem "forward".

 

All I can say is I've compared ODAC (rev. 1 - ESS DAC) to EMU 0404 (AK4396) and to AD1855. All three sounded exactly the same, I did not find any difference using my Hifiman HE-400 planar headphones and selected lossless recordings widely regarded as being suitable for testing audio equipment. Thus, I conclude all 3 DACs are audibly transparent. Given that, ODAC is my top choice because a) it requires no external power; and b) it's direct voltage output - no I/U stage, which means simpler schematics and much fewer things that can go wrong in this design compared to more elaborate devices.

[Dackzy]

1 minute ago, VioletGiraffe said:

If the "newer options" produce ringing, for example, that can be mistaken for better detailing (i. e. the details were not in the recording and the DAC adds them due to distortions).

All I can say is I've compared ODAC (rev. 1 - ESS DAC) to EMU 0404 (AK4396) and to AD1855. All three sounded exactly the same, I did not find any difference using my Hifiman HE-400 planar headphones and selected lossless recordings widely regarded as being suitable for testing audio equipment. Thus, I conclude all 3 DACs are audibly transparent.

 

the chip only matters so much m8, you can make a DAC with a good chip sound like crap if the implementation is bad.

The newer option doesn't produce ringing, not even close m8. If a modi 2 did, then I wouldn't have it on my list. The modi 2 got updated to an AKM AK4490

 

If you buy a ODAC and a O2, then you are going to be paying about 290$ and for 15$ more you can get a NFB 11 which is a lot better or you can get a schiit stack for 200$ that is a little bit better. So the value is kinda gone.....

 

Let us just be 100% honest here. Hifiman headphones are not the most revealing headphones, I can often hear bigger differences in DACs with my K612's compared to my HE 560's and the K612s aren't even that good for that kind of stuff. (not trying to be mean in any way)

[VioletGiraffe]

1 minute ago, Dackzy said:

Let us just be 100% honest here. Hifiman headphones are not the most revealing headphones, I can often hear bigger differences in DACs with my K612's compared to my HE 560's and the K612s aren't even that good for that kind of stuff. (not trying to be mean in any way)

It's an interesting point, thanks for sharing that experience. I have not had a chance to listen to anything better than HE-400. I've been wanting to get new - better - headphones, but have no idea what to aim for and what models to research. Especially if, as you say, HE-560 are not that great either. What are the most revealing headphones that you know?

[Dackzy]

55 minutes ago, VioletGiraffe said:

It's an interesting point, thanks for sharing that experience. I have not had a chance to listen to anything better than HE-400. I've been wanting to get new - better - headphones, but have no idea what to aim for and what models to research. Especially if, as you say, HE-560 are not that great either. What are the most revealing headphones that you know?

on the "cheap", a pair of HD 600's are quite revealing. If you have more money HD 800, Focal Utopia and probably more. I am sure if you go ask around that you will get more options.

 

Don't get me wrong, Hifiman headphones sound great, they just don't change that much when you upgrade to better DACs and amps