Tale of Two Dacs... we'll maybe three

[Sfellows331]

One little DAC I really like is the $199 iFi nano iDSD BL. You can switch it to run on pure battery power which noticeably cleans up the sound.

[Ottoa62]

The ifi Nano 2 does have coax in. 

[AMR/iFi audio]

On 1/18/2019 at 1:02 AM, Sfellows331 said:

One little DAC I really like is the $199 iFi nano iDSD BL. You can switch it to run on pure battery power which noticeably cleans up the sound.

 

😊

 

We won't disagree...

[Ottoa62]

Thanks..I will definitely check it out!!

[Ottoa62]

 I just read on the idsd bl.  What an interesting little dilemma. I wasn't necessarily looking for a headphone rig, so this would be a plus. I have a pair if HiFi man 400i's which I like. The nano 2 has Bluetooth and standard RCA jacks so I can use high quality Ic's. Vs using 3.5mm cable to RCA plugs on the other, unless I'm not correct would be inferior to the nano2s. RCA output.  The overriding factor would have to be running off battery would outweigh all the rest? Your thoughts please. Might have to order both and have a face off 

The Bluetooth in the nano2 would give me the ability to stream Tidal from my iPad or Android phone to my rig...a very attractive feature I was looking forward to.

 

As I read the nano 2 USB is the only way to power it? Or can it be run with a wallwart?

 

I have a Schiit Wyrd usb decrapifier that I'd use to power the Nano2.

 

Otto

[AMR/iFi audio]

16 hours ago, Ottoa62 said:

 I just read on the idsd bl.  What an interesting little dilemma. I wasn't necessarily looking for a headphone rig, so this would be a plus. I have a pair if HiFi man 400i's which I like. The nano 2 has Bluetooth and standard RCA jacks so I can use high quality Ic's. Vs using 3.5mm cable to RCA plugs on the other, unless I'm not correct would be inferior to the nano2s. RCA output.  The overriding factor would have to be running off battery would outweigh all the rest? Your thoughts please. Might have to order both and have a face off 

The Bluetooth in the nano2 would give me the ability to stream Tidal from my iPad or Android phone to my rig...a very attractive feature I was looking forward to.

 

As I read the nano 2 USB is the only way to power it? Or can it be run with a wallwart?

 

I have a Schiit Wyrd usb decrapifier that I'd use to power the Nano2.

 

Otto

 

By nano 2 you mean xDSD/xCAN?

[Ottoa62]

I was wrong..nano one...I pulled the trigger on it today...I'll report back after I've run it a fee days

[AMR/iFi audio]

1 minute ago, Ottoa62 said:

I was wrong..nano one...I pulled the trigger on it today...I'll report back after I've run it a fee days

 

nano iONE doesn't run on battery, it needs 5v all time to get going. 

 

[John Fitzpatrick]

I've seen good things about the iFi xDSD as well. Looks like the next stage up from the nano. Looks ALOT different too. Anybody got any experience of it? 

[Samuel T Cogley]

Just a suggestion for @creativepart :

 

Have you looked at the new Benchmark DAC3 B?  It's basically a DAC3 without any headphone amp, and it looks to retail for around $1700 (vanilla DAC3 goes for around $2200).  I've listened to a vanilla DAC3 and really liked it, but the headphone amp left me wanting.

Just wanted to make sure you were aware that Benchmark is in the running.  Their implementation of the ES9028PRO is one of the better ones in my experience.

 

 

[creativepart]

Hey STC, no, I had not heard of that model. I'll check it out. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I've been waiting to update my choice in this thread. We've taken our RV to Tucson for the winter and put off the purchase until our return. But I'm 99% sure that the DAC I'll buy is the Chord Qutest. But you never know, things could change.

 

I've decided to sell the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital on my return, however. Until I purchase the Chord or something else I'll stick with my Schiit Etir>Mimby combo. It's serving me well (when home, that is).

 

PS. Before more or less settling on the Qutest... I was sure that I was buying first a Yaggy and then changed to a Hugo and changed again to the Gumby. However, I'm pretty sold on the Qutest. At least I think I am.

[exdmd]

Based on what Schiit has said at RMAF about the sound quality of their new USB implementation (better than Eitr) I would consider holding off on an expensive DAC purchase (other than Schiit) until they put it in production hopefully later this year and we get user reports in. I went ahead and bought my Yggdrasil because I know I can send it back to Schiit to get the USB board swapped out.

[mazuly]

Well today I kinda lost my head as well.

 

I have Rotel RSP-1098 AV processor which I have not used for a long time (it’s probably 15 years old).  Today I fed it through:

 

Mac mini -> Audirvana + -> micoRendu -> Eitr -> RSP-1098

 

The music separated from my 804 D3 and I now have an amazing sound stage.  Maybe not as much detail as my Chord Mojo but it’s so musical.

 

It’s late tonight so I can’t listen laud but this weekend I will compare it carefully to Mojo feeding my P49 directly and see what happens.

 

Moral of the story, go with what sounds the best to you even if it is a $50 DAC.

 

I Love this hobby.

 

Also I would not disregard the 911 advise (or any other Porsche you can afford).  Just make sure you go for the best stereo system option.

 

[creativepart]

My DAC search - for the present time - is over. I purchased the Chord Qutest and have to say the improvement is quite noticeable.  Thanks to all that responded and made suggestions. I've never had a DAC that so clearly separates the instruments from each other and produces such a coherent image from digital files. I'm using a SoTM SMS200 network streamer > USB > Qutest to deliver files via Roon.

[AMR/iFi audio]

On 3/15/2019 at 6:38 PM, creativepart said:

SoTM SMS200 network streamer

 

A very solid streamer, this one.