'outboard' high end dac's

Hi !

So you are in luck. :)  The 105 (but not the 103) has USB 2.0 outputs! :)

That means you can use any USB 2.0 DAC that is described as "driverless" for Linux or OSX.  Of course, you can also use the regular SPDIF outputs as well, but most DAC's will have higher jitter.

I really like latest Mytek, but I am not sure if Oppo outputs DSD via USB or not, I have not tried it.  Other good USB 2.0  options I like are Schiit..... well that's all I've heard lately. :)  I've heard good things about the Ayre Codex.

A good budget USB solution is the Fiio X5. I don't like it via headphones so much but the line level outputs are outstanding and it will do DSD.

I'm sure others will chip in as well.

Best,


Erik

My Rega DAC makes beautiful music (with my 105), and has a reasonable cost.

+1 for Schiit DAC's.
You should call them/email them regarding the DCD/PSM issue-which I have no knowledge of.
Though I can say, they are very reasonably priced and perform as well as higher priced products.

I really like my PS Audio DirectStream. It is fairly high priced at $6k new, but there are used ones available for almost half that. The bonus is the firmware has been updated several times and each time it improves the DAC for free!

Do you have a budget in mind?

Send it to Modwright Instruments and let Dan work his magic on it! I love the rich tonality, sublime clarity, and sheer musicality of my modified 105D.

Cheers,
Oran

Thanks to those responding to my query.
Regarding budget, I suspect it will take $2-4000 to improve on the Oppo 105d, if that is possible, and I wonder if a unit such as the Luxman DA-06, which can be purchased from Japan for under $3000,00, would with its BB 1792 chips allow the best of both worlds, assuming the Oppo
allows switching at will from internal to external DAC...I need more
information regarding this.  I believe that high resolution DSD files currently offer the best digital sound available, and I wonder if decoding DSD as opposed to PCM is potentially optimized by one-bit or multi-bit DAD chips.  So thanks again for the info and any further
suggestions.

Bryston BDA 3.  Decodes up to 356 DSD and sounds fantastic.  Let me know if you do not have a  loval dealer.

Meadowman
i've been interested in the BDA 3 for it's HDMI input, specifically for SACD and Blu Ray.  Do you have any experience with the HDMI input

Gentleman,
Having read your comments and what else I could find regarding DAC's selling for about $2-4000.00, I rapidly and unexpectedly purchased a used Luxman DA-06 because or its local availability, fine condition and reasonable price.  Thus far the sound of CD's through-put by the Oppo 105d is significantly improved...the first time, in fact, that I found digital sound equal to or superior to that provided by vinyl.....I was almost astonished that 'red book' format offered such sonic quality.  The high frequencies initially sounded diminished, but I then realized...my conclusion thus far...that flesh had been added to the Oppo's Sabre chips' thin sound throughout the audible frequency range, such that the highs and other frequencies were now accompanied by previously lacking harmonics.
The Oppo, for all its versatility, does not through-put DSD.  For that a streaming device is required.  Insofar as 'streaming' appears to be the 'wave' of the future I am moving in that direction.  High end streaming/DAC/phono-preamp and pre-amp are now available as one unit...the new Levinson 526, for instance....but that
unit sells for $20,000.00, and many will, like myself, be more economically adding high end used electronics to existing equipment.   

Not sure what the above gent means.....I have a Bryston BDA-3 and you can send DSD via SACD or files via the Oppo 105

Ben,
You are correct, via HDMI, as discussed in this month's Stereophile
review of the BDA-3.

I know the Oppo 105 will not pass 24/192 hi-res to my Rega DAC (bummer).