"Analogue" sounding DAC under 1500 $ recommendation

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by shadowlord, Sep 19, 2017.

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  1. shadowlord

    shadowlord Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    I'm looking for recommendations for a "analogue" sounding DAC.
    (not too bright / analytical)

    preferably under 1500 $ / euro.

    it will be fed by a aries mini ( mostly FLAC 16 bit / 44 & 48 khz)


    any recommendation will be welcome (maybe with some impression about it's sound signature)
     
  2. enfield

    enfield Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex UK
    Anything that has the old Philips TDA -1541 or TDA-1543 chips in will sound nice and analogue..Some good modern DAC's still use them.
     
  3. John Woo

    John Woo Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    about 6 months ago, i bought on the blind, a demo unit of the Chinese LKS MH D003 DAC from a local hifi shop. it comes with a Sabre 9018 DAC chip on each channel. the sound for my ears is warm and full body and quite analogue; very close to what i m hearing from my LP playback. there is a newer model, the LKS MH D004 n online price is US1460 plus shipping. it comes with the newer dual Sabre 9038 chip for each channel. some online reviews are saying good things about the D0004. hope that you can find a shop in your area carrying tis to hear it out.
     
  4. NickC4555

    NickC4555 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Leicester, UK
    All of the Optimal Transient filters (Optimal Transient, Optimal Transient XD, Optimal Transient DD) on the Audiolab M-Dac+ have a warm analogue feel.
     
  5. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    The Border Patrol DAC, starting at $900, allegedly has these traits. It's Non-OS with a tube output and can be ordered with any combination of two input types.

    I recently bought a used Line Magnetic 502 CA tube DAC. These can be found used under $1500. Many describe it as sounding "analog."

    Based on my comparison between this DAC and my $100 Topping unit, I think the tubes make all the difference. Both of these units are rather smooth and low on fatigue, but in its tube mode, the LM becomes a different beast. Increased detail, smoother delivery, and wider soundstage is what you get with tubes.

    IME, SS units sound more similar than different, but in haven't had an opportunity to try a Non-OS type.
     
    Rolltide likes this.
  6. Claude Benshaul

    Claude Benshaul Forum Resident

    The TeddyDAC with USB Interface is less than 1,000 EUR and is very close to what you describe as the required sound signature. I have an older model that can only do 48/24 through the USB and I don't know if I want to keep it. The sound quality is superb but I'm tired of down sampling my HiRes files.
     
  7. Thouston

    Thouston Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mattoon, IL
    Schiit Gungnir Multibit.
     
  8. juno6000

    juno6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pembroke Pines, FL
    Musical paradise makes two tubed DACs. I have the MP-D1 and am quite happy with it.
    Their newest one has quite a following on several sites, but it is more than i need as I do not stream. I just connect it to my CD player. You can also upgrade the DAC chipsets and interchange coupling capacitors without soldering. You can also use 6 or 12 volt preamp tubes and multiple rectifiers.

    DAC
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2017
  9. Jack Flannery

    Jack Flannery Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Agreed.
     
    Thouston likes this.
  10. shadowlord

    shadowlord Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austria
    Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

    If possible i'd like to avoid tubes .

    I will look into the shiit and teddyDac. Doesn't seem any local dealer has one to listen though.

    [edit] what i not get is why the power switches appear to be on the back of these units. Isn't that very inconvenient ?
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2017
  11. Kyhl

    Kyhl On break

    Location:
    Savage
    They are meant to be left on. Most of my solid state gear has the power switch located on the back or no power switch because solid state gear takes a long time to warm up.
    If there is a front switch it often only puts the unit into stand-by mode anyway.
     
  12. Lenny

    Lenny Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I can vouch for the quality of the LKS MH D004. It's a simply fabulous unit for the money. Nothing comes close. Besides the dual Sabre 9038 chips, LKS has added an all JFET discrete analog output stage in the 004. It also has large dual toroidal linear power supply (50 watts each) with 13 groups of regulation, an Amanero USB to I2S module with its own power supply, Crystek femtosecond clock, Mundorf caps, Cardas RCAs, Neutrik XLRs, and a Furutech IEC. BUT it's something of an adventure to own. Among other things, generally, it has to be ordered from China. All very much worth it IMO, especially in the US where there's no duty nor VAT.
     
  13. John Woo

    John Woo Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Singapore
    so the D004 is a big jump from the D003 besides the upgrade of the DAC chips from Sabre 9018s to 9038s, and glad that you find it being a good DAC.
     
  14. triple

    triple Senior Member

    Location:
    Zagreb, Croatia
  15. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    Exposure 2010s2 DAC - very smooth, use Wolfson chips and much regulation, beefy toroid.
     
  16. Mark broadhead

    Mark broadhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newcastle England
  17. triple

    triple Senior Member

    Location:
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Such irony. The owner of BP (Border Patrol, not British Petroleum) emigrated from the UK to the US, and is not represented in his homeland any more?
     
  18. Mark broadhead

    Mark broadhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newcastle England
    As far as I can see it doesn't appear so..
     
  19. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Do try and hear one if possible before avoiding them. Going the valve/NOS route was a real ear-opener.
     
    warp2600 and Helom like this.
  20. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

  21. Steve0

    Steve0 Audio Banana

    Location:
    australia
    The NAD M51 is worth a listen
     
  22. William Bryant

    William Bryant Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nampa, Idaho
    The Emotiva DC-1 is basically indistinguishable from the NAD M51 and Gungnir, and it costs only $500.

    Get something else if you want a DAC with a special character (warm, analytical, "analogue," or whatever); get a DC-1 if you want studio monitor neutrality at a really good price.
     
  23. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Studio monitor neutrality in a DAC can be had for $100.
     
  24. William Bryant

    William Bryant Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nampa, Idaho
    Which unit are you referring to?
     
  25. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    The Topping D20 is one, almost identical in sound to the class A rated Musical Fidelity V90 DAC and the Mytek stereo 192. In other words, boring and neutral.
     
    William Bryant likes this.
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