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which bang for the buck DAC?

Hi,

I would love suggestion for a DAC with performance per dollar in mind. It will be used with a Sony S350 (bluray player) as a transport and also with a computer as the other transport. This way I can downsize my standalone cd player. The DAC will feed into a Krell 400xi via XLR. This way I will have a music server and the ability to play cds as well.

I would love to stay under 1000. I am looking at the DACMagic and the PS Audio Dlink iii, and I am a bit skeptical of both. Are they good or just hype? Are there better choices? Would love to hear other suggestions. I am looking for that DAC which delivers performance per dollar. Hopefully it exist.

Thanks in advance
jeanluc07

Showing 1 response by tobias

tobias
1,534 posts
 
I've compared the Benchmark to the Apogee Mini-DAC head-to-head. The Benchmark was extraordinary, so detailed it was the musical equivalent of watching bodybuilders ripped for competition. Every muscle stood out. I thought, if anyone wanted to know what "analytical" sound meant, this would teach them. I was glad of a pause after a while, but I honestly wouldn't have missed the experience. You might love it.

The Mini-DAC didn't seem to leave out any detail but the focus was on the music as a whole, the relationship of parts within it, and with more sense of a performance event. I liked it better for a longer session. Furthermore, using the same transport and cable, the Mini-DAC's highs were less hashy.

So this is to recommend the Apogee Mini-DAC, at about $800 for a USB version on eBay.
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