What to look for in a budget DAC

Digital to Analog Converters, DACs, range in price from the very expensive to the very inexpensive. How does someone make the choice of which DAC will best suit their needs?

[thegrimyeaper]

Teenager: "What DAC should I get on a limited budget?"
Paul: "I don't eat animals."

[billbones]

I just last week picked up a used PS Audio digital link 3 DAC for about 300 USD. Very very happy with the sound.

[NickP]

I’d personally recommend a Schiit Modi 3 for $99. I bought one for my brother a bit ago to make hearing the detail within music easier for him to hear and transcribe the music, and it worked out great.

[RobeonMew]

This video was 6 months posted too early.

NAO we have THX Onyx™

[Gez]

Diminishing returns was never more true with DAC's

[TorToroPorco]

At the $300 price point I’m partial to the Musical Fidelity V90 DAC of which there are an ample supply of used ones on eBay. An excellent upgrade for it would be a $100 linear power supply. It has a a excellent midrange presentation that is probably more nuanced than most DACS in that price range.

[billwillard]

With Schiit or Topping (or the Dragonfly), you can get new with a return policy, but you sometimes have to pay the shipping/restocking fee for returns. I don’t think at what you’re spending that any of these picks will be so heinous that you will want to send it back immediately. Schiit products are always a “pretty good for now” option, and you can get most of your money back on eBay later down the road.Don’t sweat the details/specs right now.

[boro]

The iPhone lightning to 3.5mm dongle is apparently a really well rated dac, and only $9. It’s worth looking into before shelling out even $100.

[rockindel]

Thanks for continuing to make these videos during these difficult times

[johnsweda]

Go for ifi desktop zen is about £130 or if you want portable as well the hip

[byrong]

Most entry level DACs offer outstanding value for money.
Undoubtedly the most cost effective way to improve your system's overall sound quality.

[nunofernandes]

I bought a Cambridge DacMagic 100 for €158 new and it sounds very nice for the price.

[jimfarrell]

I think that Dongle DACs like the Dragonfly, while excellent for portable use, are not flexible enough for a stereo system. I like Chord DACs but outwith our friends budget so I would go with iFi or Topping. I have the Topping DX3 Pro in my second system and I like the DAC very much though I am not so keen on the headphone amp section. I do like the sound of the newer AKM chips.
The iFi Zen DAC seems excellent value for money and looks great. I have an iDSD Nano which has now found its way onto my PC and it is a nice little device.
Its interesting that Paul never mentions Chi Fi brands like Topping, Auralic and Denafrips. They take their product design every bit as seriously as Western brands and produce outstanding equipment both in the budget and high end markets.

[RumblestripDotNet]

For up to $300 Topping, maybe Geshelli Labs and SMSL are reasonable choices if you want new.

[mcaddc]

Plenty of passionate audiophile reviewers here on YouTube that have put many budget dacs through their paces. Pick one brand that suits your budget.

[azzinny]

You can want to spend just $100, try something from pro-audio market: Focusrite Scarlett Solo. You can buy it at a physical store such as Guitar Center.

[AndrazAntonic]

I would go with some type of a mobile dac (dragonfly), so when you decide to upgrade and will prob buy a larger box/stanalone unit, you still have a mobile dac to use on the go.

[JoeJ-]

OVERALL SYSTEM REALITY CHECK HERE:
For a budget of only $100-$300, *instead* of buying a DAC at all to start out with, (that can come later but), that guy would be *much* better off spending that money on getting the best quality components for his home made speakers he mentioned and making them sound the best they could first, since speakers are really the BIGGEST contributor (OR detriment) to an audio system's overall sound quality!...

Either that or, if he maybe already has his speakers built, and they already are whatever quality level they're gonna be, then spend that money on getting a decent *source* component, which is very important to overall system sound quality also!...

From what he said, it sounds like he already has a really good amp and pre-amp, (whatever brand they are), so the next things to focus on are getting the speaker sound quality the best it can be, and having a really good source component... THEN AND ONLY THEN, once you have the absolute necessity BASICS covered, first and foremost, only after that should you try to concentrate on the smaller, (relatively) less significant components of the overall system, like a DAC, cables, etc...

Besides, if that guy's pre-amp really IS a "high-end" one from a good brand, (and not TOO old), then it should probably already have plenty good Digital to Analog conversion circuitry built into it to start with, so his money would then be best spent on making SURE he has all of the MOST INFLUENTIAL, basic, *MUST haves* for good sound first, (making his speakers the best they can be and finding a good source to get now, in his case), and then once those things are ALL covered sufficiently, THEN, later on when he gets even more money saved up AND he knows how his system sounds as it already is, *then* he can get a DAC to see how much of a difference it makes...

But even having the "BEST" DAC in the entire world won't make much, (if ANY), difference in *overall system* sound quality that actually reaches your ears, if ANY of the other *major* components in his system, (i.e. source, pre-amp, power amp, speakers), are really crappy!... An audio system's overall final sound quality is totally limited by the "weakest link" in the entire chain, all the way from what source you're using and its quality level, all the way through to the speakers themselves, (and even the listening room itself, a dorm room possibly in this case, but we won't consider that for now), before the sound actually reaches your ears and brain! The *overall* sound of a system is totally "throttled" by whatever that "weakest link" in the system chain may be... And the lack of a DAC in a under $300 budget system isn't going to make any real difference!...

That being said, IF that guy *already* has ALL 4 of those basic necessity components, AND they are of the best quality that he can currently afford, and that $100-$300 budget is *exclusively* for buying a DAC, then of course he can take Paul's advice and get a good used DAC to see how much difference in overall system sound it makes, but getting a DAC should ONLY be considered AFTER making sure his basic, major components, as mentioned above, are already there and of the best quality he can afford rn!

Well taken care of used market equipment is always going to give you the best "bang for your buck" too, so that's almost always the best way to get started in anything when you're relatively poor!... That's exactly how I got started in my audio system too, right out of HS and into college, buying the best used equipment I could find. I wish him the best of luck in his forevermore ongoing "quest", as this is only the very *beginning*! Lol!

[robertwang]

In terms of good measuring DACs, Topping, Hidizs, SMSL, Gustard etc ( refer to Audio Science Review ). Denafrips Aries second hand ( refer to Stereophile review ). I think for midfi the Chinese are dominant. First you need to decide if you want a Delta Sigma ( chip based DAC ) or an R2R ladder resistor DAC ( second hand, nothing new at US300 ). Also important if you need a headphone amp in your DAC or Balanced output. Also GoldenSound does some gd reviews.

[bedrosdaoudian]

I agree with Paul Lazarro, it is very difficult to go wrong with Schiit products. I think Schiit Audio also have a return policy (granted that the product is intact in its original box and accessories) if you live in the US... this will give you the opportunity to listen to the product with 0% risks... Good Luck!