USB DAC?

[sidsaccount]

Any good suggestions for a nice USB DAC?

Price range 100$ USD.

 

[FinalAura]

nuforce udac

 

[Shlomo]

if you're handy with a soldering iron I don't think you can go wrong with the grubdac.

http://www.diyforums.org/GrubDAC/GrubDACoverview.php

 

[Snufykat]

Nice link Shlomo. Interesting alternative.

 

[rontruong]

i just started reading about DIY DACs.. and i was wondering, how do they compare in performance to the udac?

 

[Andrew_e1]

I got the Nuforce USB DAC at amazon a few months ago. Its worked great with my AKG 702 headphones, I absolutely love the combination and the amp/dac was just 99 bucks.

The thing is that its out of stock at amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-Icon-uDAC-USB-headphone/dp/B002VNIRWM/ref=pd_cp_e_2

If you can find it anywhere else then its a really really good little dac/amp combination

 

[persisting1]

It's a little more expensive, but the HRT Music Streamer II has a lot of good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/HRT-Music-Streamer-II-Resolution/dp/B0038O4UFQ

 

[Drudenhaus]

If you're into DIY, check out the gamma1:
http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1/

Performance metrics can be found under the "Specifications" section.

P.S. I built and use a y1 full++/y2

 

[rontruong]

are there any performance specs for off the shelf products to compare with?

 

[Drudenhaus]

are there any performance specs for off the shelf products to compare with?

I'd look around for an independent review. Forums like head-fi and headwize have quite a few, but you may need to do some digging on the particular commercial DAC you're looking at.