Review of the portable USB DACs (Audioquest Dragonfly, Meridian Explorer, Director, iFi iDAC, iDSD, Geek Out, Pulse)

[Moosbrugger]

Any thoughts on the new version of the Fiio X5?

Although I'm fairly content with my iPod classic, I'd like to bump the storage up from 160 gb.

But I'm not sure the difference in storage/quality is worth the price -- especially at $100 for a 128 gb SD Card.

For the money, I might be better off getting a Mac Mini to use as a music server, and keep the iPod for walking around and the car.

 

Oh -- does anyone know if I can take the coax out of the Fiio and get hi res into my Peachtree Nova? I'm not sure how that works and whether the Fiio will conflict somehow with the Peachtree's DAC.

 

(yes, I've been fretting over this decision for over one year now.)

[DM]

Any thoughts on the new version of the Fiio X5?

For the money, I might be better off getting a Mac Mini to use as a music server, and keep the iPod for walking around and the car.

 

Yes, I would do that, the mac mini is a lot more versatile at home, you can run bootcamp and dual boot into windows and try all those crazy DSD (even DSD512) playback software.

 

Or just run OSX on it for simplicity.

[Moosbrugger]

Well, I've already got an MPB. So the Mini would really just be for serving music -- to have a direct connection instead of going through my Apple Tv. I guess I could use it for other things, but I'm not sure what.

[Sam Lord]

Thank you DM for fine, concise reviews. Since the Geek Pulse score isn't shown, is it the same as the Geek Out at 70pts? Still vaporware?

 

OTOH I'm pleased that the new Herus did well (according to Miska), because the builder has a great service and reliability reputation, and the best documentation I've seen for digital audio products, really noteworthy.

[DM]

No, the Geek Pulse is still vaporware for me ...

[DM]

Well, I've already got an MPB. So the Mini would really just be for serving music

 

I always like to have the music server dedicated, not share with others, the sound will be better

[yeswecan]

(ranked by score)

 

DAC score

iFi micro iDSD ............84

Sony PHA-2 ................77

Meridian Director.........75

iFi nano iDSD..............75

iFi micro iDAC.............73

Geek Out....................70

Meridian Explorer........ 67

Sony PHA-1.................50

Dragonfly 1.2..............50

Dragonfly 1.0............. 45

Hdta Serenade DSD......40

 

How many points would get the Chord Hugo in your list?

[Dr Tone]

How about adding the Resonessence Labs Herus/Herus+ to the review mix.

[Norton]

How many points would get the Chord Hugo in your list?

 

+1

[DM]

I don't have the Hugo myself, but my friend has one, I will try to borrow that one day and do a review. Regarding Resonessence Labs Herus, none of my friend has one, so this will be a bit difficult unless I get one myself

[magnum innominandum]

Bonjour DM,

 

Really appreciate your work (not that I have any call for a portable DAC though), but in case you have heard it, how would rate all these toys against a Pass D1 or any other solid High End DAC?

 

M.I.

[Jimmypowder]

How many points would get the Chord Hugo in your list?

 

The Hugo costs way over the price range of the portable dacs tested .

Many have said the ifi micro idsd is nearly as good .

 

I can tell you for 499 bucks , the idsd is an incredible bargain .

[nomad33fw]

How do the mid priced non-portable DACs measure up. Keep seeing the ZDAC by parasound on sale its in the same range. PeachTree DAC iT and their USB to SPDIF has me curious. I know this would be just bypassing my MAC Mini DAC but that's kind of the point.

[Jimmypowder]

How do the mid priced non-portable DACs measure up. Keep seeing the ZDAC by parasound on sale its in the same range. PeachTree DAC iT and their USB to SPDIF has me curious. I know this would be just bypassing my MAC Mini DAC but that's kind of the point.

 

You can buy a zdac for 299 bucks . I bought one because it has xlr out which no dac I know of has at that price point . I haven't listened to it yet but will report when I do

[PWGuy]

How does the iDSD compare, generally speaking, to the Emotiva DC-1 for CD quality/44.1?

[nomad33fw]

Saw this for less the $120 24/192 . Thinking this would bypass the Mac Mini DAC and go into my Denon in Pure Direct mode.

http://www.peachtreeaudio.com/x1-usb-spdif-converter.html

[longbowbbs]

DM, have you had a chance to check out the Aurender Flow? I have the ifi iDSD Micro and I am using the Flow now and I am finding it smoother up top than the Micro.

[DM]

DM, have you had a chance to check out the Aurender Flow? I have the ifi iDSD Micro and I am using the Flow now and I am finding it smoother up top than the Micro.

 

No, I haven't tried the Aurender Flow, but it does look very nice, it uses the ESS chip which from my experience, they are very good at the top, airy and not harsh, but I found them sometimes although full body in the mids, sometimes it added just touch too much "echo" in the mid, hence the mids could be not as solid as other DACs.

 

With the micro iDSD, which filter do you use? For PCM, I find that the Bit Perfect filter is the most organic, give a solid and full body mid-range and a sweeter top. For DSD, I like the Standard one slightly better, more presence.

[longbowbbs]

So far I have been happy with Standard for all recordings. I will spend some time with the Bit Perfect and see how that goes.

[DM]

Bonjour DM,

 

Really appreciate your work (not that I have any call for a portable DAC though), but in case you have heard it, how would rate all these toys against a Pass D1 or any other solid High End DAC?

 

M.I.

 

No I haven't tried the Pass, but well, put it this way, when the iDSD is in my main system, none of my friends noticed that it is a portable DAC that is actually making the music. Of course they were pleasantly surprised after they found out.

 

So I would say it is as good as (if not better than) some of the full size DACs I would say.

[DM]

How does the iDSD compare, generally speaking, to the Emotiva DC-1 for CD quality/44.1?

 

I have not tried the Emotiva DC-1, but heard good things about it. Does it have any filter option?

 

For PCM files (including CD/44.1), for me, the thing really set the iDSD apart is its "Bit-Perfect" filter, this add a level of realism which many other DACs lack. the sound is much more real and organic with the Bit Prefect filter and each and every music note just comes alive, it "musicalness" creates an emotion connection with the listener; many other DACs can sound very nice but ultimately lacking this emotion connection.

[nomad33fw]

I know it's not a "DAC" and forgive me if it doesn't belong in this thread. I just ordered PeachTree Audio's X1 USB to SPDIF converter. I don't really need the portable aspect, just looking to get the best sound out of my Mac Mini. The X1 will give me asynchronous USB and an up to 24/192 output via SPDIF, if anything it should clean up some jitter and possibly any computer noise. Figure I would clean up the signal going into the Denon that I use in pure direct mode and see if I can actually hear a difference.

[nomad33fw]

The PeachTree Audio X1 arrived and so far so good. I don't use headphones which made the amp in so many of the DAC's reviewed here seem like extra. The X1 is getting the audio out of my Mac Mini cleanly and sending it to the Denon via an optical cable. The Denon has a TI PCM1690 (Bur Bown?) DAC, with this being an AVR with surround and 2ch duties. Just figured that many of the DAC's reviewed would be more useful if I had a higher end amp.

 

I went with Audioquest cables to connect the X1. I use Audirvana Plus, and have all my music saved in AIFF at 16/44 minimum with 24/96 and 192 when its available. Definitely not a scientific test but things sound more open airy and exact coming from the X1. I'm probably not describing this right, but it does sound better to me. The little nuances standout, a musician in the background snapping their finger or the fingers on a guitar string all sound right upfront.

 

Like I said before, I know this isn't a DAC per say but I figured there were others reading this thread with entry/mid level AVR's that might have a decent built in DAC and would find this useful.

 

The bad thing is this is probably all going to lead to a better amp and an upgrade of my Bowers eventually.

[cadela]

(ranked by score)

 

DAC score

iFi micro iDSD ............84

Sony PHA-2 ................77

Meridian Director.........75

iFi nano iDSD..............75

iFi micro iDAC.............73

Geek Out....................70

Meridian Explorer........ 67

Sony PHA-1.................50

Dragonfly 1.2..............50

Dragonfly 1.0............. 45

Hdta Serenade DSD......40

 

Thank you so much for providing us such honest and detail reviews. You've saved my aging brain's work.

[DM]

Sorry for not updating this thread for months, I will be updating this with the LH gears I have and one other crowd funding gear I have shortly, thereafter, I will open a review thread for all the USB cleaning devices that I have, e.g. Jitterbug, Regen, iUSB etc.