It’s not really about absolute Dollars, my recommendation for Vinyl has always been by something cheap and decent, if you like it, just figure out what you are willing to spend and jump to that level rather than getting on the incremental upgrade train.
My view with streamers is get off your PC/Phone, if you find value in that, figure out what your willing to spend and just go to it. The NS1 was a pretty dramatic step up from the Pi2AES IMO, but given the price difference it should have been. But you wouldn’t buy an NS1 or a DCS Network Bridge for a $1000 DAC and amp.
That’s high on my list in terms of budget (used) and features (local playback, USB out). Are there any noticeable downsides you think I should know about?
Also open to any suggestions from anybody. Mainly a server, has to have USB out, and under 3k (used/new). Will look at those already mentioned on previous posts.
It’s a pretty solid pick for the budget and use-case. I probably would have stopped there or maybe the Auralic Aries G2.1, until I heard better, lol.
It had the same features I was looking for: offline local listening (completely independent of ethernet was a bonus), USB out, and can use external hard drives. You can control it with their app/UI or push a button on the unit itself.
Just an FYI for anyone else following the earlier thread, it looks like there’s some more parts shortage business going on, so apparently Raspberry Pi 4s aren’t exactly $50 these days, lol. It’s looking like some of the Pi-based streamers (Allo USBridge, etc) are currently out of stock too.
Hi @orrman, I bought some time ago a Lumin U2 mini and I would safe that money and go for an Antipodes, like starting with an S30. Lumin is okay, but features/pricewise, I’d think about - APP is really bad, I only use Tidal Connect. Standby does exit, but more random as soon you touch your smartphone/tablet, turning off power per app, you need to turn/off-on again … stability is okay.
On a lark I grabbed one of the Mousai MSD192 DAC from Drop. I know dated DACs are a fool’s errand, but I had some credit built up there with little on the horizon and this looked interesting. Grabbed an SMSL PO100 on deal also to convert USB to coax/opt input to the DAC for cheap to try to get ahead of any USB issues. No big expectations for this, but curious if anyone had any experience with the DAC and synergy with amps before I start playing with it.
I’ve found that since I rebuilt the Whammy with a better quality toroidal transformer it has changed in sound signature. The BF2 makes it sound a little dark on some headphones - particularly the DT880/600 but also the Elegia. On a whim I swapped it to my Jnog v1 and suddenly all the top end detail stepped forward and there was balance again. Now I am wondering if I might want an analytical dac on a par with the BF2 and I am side eyeing the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts or ideas?
There are a number of reasons why I think this is a wrong presumption in the hobby. Granted it depends a lot of which end of the price point spectrum one buys. A high end DAC in 2015 is still a high end DAC today but at 50 cents on the dollar or less. I’m guilty of buying a whole many “old” DACs and have been able to listen to them long term and then move on without losing much if any money.
It sounds better than anything else I’ve heard so far. Clearly I am biased but it is beyond anything I ever thought I could achieve. One of the reasons I am dac swapping was that I want to be able to listen to more headphones on it. On the right headphones I prefer it far and away to the RNHP. It seems to my ears to be as detailed but to reach much lower into sub base, to be much more reactive to a dac. It isn’t as sweet as the RNHP and it is a bit heavy handed on sensitive gear but boy does it slam when that’s needed while still giving a lovely light touch to quiet strings or piano. I am addicted to my HD660s on it. I’m planning on upgrading the opamp to a Burson v6 Classic soon as I now think it is worth the investment.
If you ever build one (and you should, it’s an amazing experience to listen to your own build) I highly recommend taking the time and money to research and collect the best grade components you can. I think all in all it has cost me something near 800 euros and a year plus to get to the point of finalizing the opamp, but I suspect that it would have cost me a significantly larger amount to buy.
FWIW, You can make it more analytical/open with the right op amp.
I ran a Burson V6 classic in mine, which slants the other way, but you could try a V5 or a Vivid.
I only ever really tried 3 opamps in mine, and while the impact is “subtle”, they have the most impact on the openness and Bass control.
I’d be tempted to go buy half a dozen different $5-$20 op amps and play if I were still invested in the amp.
I think there is someone else on here who did a lot more rolling.
You might also get something out of changing the voltage in the primary rail up SLIGHTLY!
Awesome tips. I’ve been oscillating between the classic and the vivid but I couldn’t get a good handle on the real differences to that’s really helpful.
I’ve tried a fair few cheaper opamps in it and found most of them make minimal difference. The V5i definitely brought the detail and general quality up.
I’m not sure I want to mess about with voltage as it would be very very outside my knowledge and comfort zone. I do appreciate the idea though!
There are 3 ways in the instructions to build the power regulator.
I’d have to go back and look at how I built mine, my “guess” without looking at it is either swapping the red LED for a different color, or changing one of the resistor values, will let you get another 1/2V or so out of the power rail, you might want to try reading through the DIYAudio thread.
lots of ideas in there.
Super Whammy!!!. 