PDA

View Full Version : WTD -- DAC upto £400



hughandella
25-04-2015, 10:12
THIS SAME MESSAGE DOES APPEAR ON ANOTHER SITE -- APOLOGIES BUT I AM JUST TRYING TO REACH BIGGEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE

Mng
I am very tempted by the Metrum DAC listed on a different site - my only hesitation is that my main source is a Zen musicserver with USB output, I can ofcourse use a USB/SPDIF convertor but it can only really involve a slight loss in performance at this budget I imagine and is additional outlay---
So please tell me what you have to offer, I will consider non USB Dacs like the Metrum as well as the preferred USB compatible but I do need atleast one other input for a CD player so no USB only please.
I am very happy with my Croft pre so no need for volume control and or headphone capability per se.
If I can spend £300 and not £400 I'll be all the happier and if anyone wants to consider my excellent Consonance CDP in a part swap even better.
I have considered the usual suspects and they are all q interesting to me ( Jolida, Arcam IR, Audiolab, Benchmark etc ) I just want to get best bang for my buck today.
My liking of Croft and Consonance and my speaker choice highlight that I like a very 'musical' sound (it looks stupid writing that but hope you know what I mean ) some may call it 'analogue' like ---- basically some systems sound too harsh for me, I love detail but not in your face - I appreciate what active studio monitors can do but don't want to live with a pair --- I'm running out of adjectives and also I find it quite incredible when a reviewer tells me that '....the soundstage started 3cm in front of the speaker and extended 24 cm behind my ears and was 1.8 metres high ' ...... maybe my ears don't work but that sounds like utter shi%e to me ....... give me a DAC that lets me feel musicians are in my room or very close by and I'll let them have a wander about how does that sound ?

OR DO I JUST BUY A CAIMAN II AND MOVE ON .......

Happy to pay PP Gift or cash if delivered, I'm based in North Essex/Suffolk border

tks
chris

I will reply to any messages later this afternoon tks

orbscure
25-04-2015, 11:04
For £400 Chris, you should be able to find an nice Audiolab mDAC and still get some change... in fact, not that its mine, there is one listed here (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?37786-Audiolab-Mdac-Black-%A3350&highlight=audiolab) for £350 + P&P... There is no doubting that the Caimen & Bushmaster DAC's are super pieces of kit and excellent value for money, but at that time in my system (note this Beresford fans), I stepped up from a chip modded & battery powered Bushmaster MK2 to an Mdac with noticeable results... :)

hayche
25-04-2015, 12:03
Look out for a musical fidelity v90 dac. USB async, 2 optical and 2 coax and not much at all behind the mdac I reckon. All for £100 used. Bargain

hughandella
27-04-2015, 01:14
ALL SORTED now thanks, i have a v nice deal on a Metrum Octave - looking forward to hearing if its as good as many suggest, im quietly hopeful



can anyone tell me how to edit the strapline when an ad is no longer needed ?
tks