best USB DAC for under £50 second hand or new?

[Gmanuk101]

Hi All

I'm going to get the good lady in my life a nice little DAC, it needs to have USB in, and standard L/R single channels as the out.

As i dont really look at budget DACs I have very little idea on what is current and value for money.

Looking at spending £50 max, new or second hand doesn't matter.

She uses iTunes already direct from the PC to the AMP. (please, no comments about that, I've probably said all this to her already..lol)

Thank for any help guys n gals.

All the best

Graeme

[RichB]

http://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/usb-dac2

or this http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?34473-FS-Beresford-Bushmaster-Mk1 with a USB converter also from stan?

[Gmanuk101]

http://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/usb-dac2

or this http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?34473-FS-Beresford-Bushmaster-Mk1 with a USB converter also from stan?

not interested in the bushmaster as that is over £50, thanks for the other link however you need to buy extras and have it shipped from China, which brings this near to £70 sadly. looking for simple solution that is UK based.

[WAD62]

not interested in the bushmaster as that is over £50, thanks for the other link however you need to buy extras and have it shipped from China, which brings this near to £70 sadly. looking for simple solution that is UK based.

Hi Graeme

Given your criteria, and the source, this should do the trick...but I've not heard one personally

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/digital-to-analogue-audio-converter-a14kf

However as Rich stated HiFimeDIY DACs are very good...this is a cheaper option

http://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-made-dacs/U2-DAC

...and better with one of these

http://hifimediy.com/usb-isolator

...and you can order from their German warehouse for an extra fiver or so, just over £50 in total, a great improvement over my SBtouch's own DAC

Go on treat the lass ;)

[Gmanuk101]

perfect! nice one!
thank matey

[struth]

I've got one of those sabre DACs and they're very good

[Gordon Steadman]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI

This is what I use on my Mac system in the front room.

[Gmanuk101]

thanks Gordon, will have a look

[RichB]

Graeme, pop over and have a listen to mine.

[PaulStewart]

These are pretty awesome for the money. Use one on our mobile edit unit


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMSL-1955-DAC-Opt-USB-Coax-BLACK-Excellent-Cond-better-2012-13-version-/121443536413?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item1c46994e1d

[DiveDeepDog]

Fiio D3

+
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-to-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-UK-/271552932051?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item3f39d0e8d3

for the USB bit

[WAD62]

Fiio D3

+
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-to-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-UK-/271552932051?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item3f39d0e8d3

for the USB bit

In which case why not the E10, which is the D3 with the USB bit...

My HiFimeDIY u2 asynchronous blows my E10 out of the water when used in conjunction with an SBTouch, and is £20 cheaper...:)

[ninedecks]

What did you decide to go for in the end?.
Dave

[r100]

Stream the music over your network to a Raspberry B with Volumio, and a I2S Sabre DAC like this one http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/kits-modules-diy-dac/audiophonics-dac-sabre-es9023-i2s-vers-analogique-24bit192khz-v20-p-8962.html .. You'll need a WiFi dongle if you want to hook it up over WiFi. You'll get a DAC, a streamer and an Airport express in a tiny package that really sounds amazing. USB cables are so has been [emoji12]

[JohnMcC]

Another vote for the Maplin effort. Works well in my garden room system.

[Thebiglebowski]

I've got a maplin dac (don't think I have the use cable though) sat in the cupboard doing nothing you can have for postage costs, if you like it just make a donation to charity or AoS.