Suggestions for a low-cost DAC?

[franz159]

I'm surprised this has not been mentioned yet in this thread, where it definitely belongs!

My strong recommendation for a low-cost DAC but very high quality for the cost would be the 99$ Khadas Tone Board

https://www.khadas.com/tone

https://www.khadas.com/tone-specs

It measures as DACs costing multiple time its cost, as you can see here.

The sound is clear,  detailed and airy, with an unbelievable sense of rhythm.

It decodes all PCM resolutions up to 384 Khz and DSD up to DSD256, no MQA

 

[franz159]

17 hours ago, Jud said:

 

What else is needed with this board, if anything, besides what the $99 pays for? For me that wasn't clear from the website. Also it's described as a "development" board, so that's something else that made me think more boards or connectors might be necessary.

Hi Jud,

     the Khadas Tone Board can be used immediately as a USB Dac, powered by the USB itself.

In the box you get a USB-A to USB-C for the USB connection.

 

The Kahdas also has a Coax entry. To use it you have to power the board, either through the USB -C plug or through its PIN header .

I guess it is called a "development" board maybe because you can use it also with the SBCs produced by Khadas, called VIM.  The Khadas "Vim" edition is called that way simply because it has the pin connectors to use it with the VIMs SBCs already soldered to it.

The generic edition (the one I have bought) is used "standalone" as you can see from these two pictures of my "headphone travel system" on the minuscule bedside table of the hotel I was a couple of weeks ago...

 

I bought a case for the board from Audiophinics, but I haven't received it yet

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/aluminium-boxes-cases/aluminum-case-for-khadas-tone-board-p-13626.html

[franz159]

18 minutes ago, Jud said:

That looks like a great travel system! Is the computer feeding the DAC a Pi or similar?

 

And that's a handsome-looking case for not a lot of money.

Yes it is a raspberry pi, and the headphones are HiFiMan 400i.

 

For the "case", I guess you could also buy this one ...😀

https://www.sonore.us/toneDAC.html

I cannot tell for sure, I'm sort of guessing, but the name clearly hints of what is the DAC inside.

[franz159]

12 hours ago, DuckToller said:

@franz159 Thank you very much for that recommendation. There might be a new little project on the horizon ...
Do you connect the Tone Board directly to your headphones or is there a HP amp in between ?

Best regards, Tom

Since I typically use the Khadas while I'm "on the go", I usually connect my Headphones directly to the RCA output, but an HP amp could be used...

[franz159]

On 4/10/2019 at 4:52 PM, DuckToller said:

 

 

Franz , thank you for your anser.

Please let me rephrase your information,

The sound is clear, detailed and airy, with an unbelievable sense of rhythm, when I usually connect my Headphones HiFiMan 400i directly to the RCA output.

I'd think this is possible due to the low impedance of just 35 Ohms for the Hifiman 400i. That may suit well an USB powered DAC board. 

I had asked about the HP amp, because my HD650s were never near as "detailed and airy" as with my iFi iDSD micro BL's HP amp,  neither with the output of my PI's/Hifiberry Dac nor with the Dragonfly Red.
I have subsequently noticed the post from Sonore about their Tone, where they just disclose the RCA to minijack cable for connecting headphones. without further elaboration about the usage or output specs.

Did you perhaps try the Tone board with HP's that have a higher impedance, comparable to the HD650s, which have 300 Ohms?? Did it sound clear, detailed and airy as well?

Thanks in advance, Tom

..answering one year later..... my HiFiMan 400i headphones remained in a drawer at the office in Milan, but the Khadas Tone Board is with me and I'm now "smart working" at home in Rome.

Here I use it with 300 Ohms Sennheiser HD600.

But in this case i much prefer the sound with a headphone amp in between the Khadas and the headphones, a Linear Tube Audio Micro Zotl 2..