[ZeeMox]

I've been agonizing for a while over what DAC/amp combo to get for my LCD-XC's, and have found an extremely good deal on Audeze's own Deckard DAC/amp, which seems perfect since it was virtually made for these cans. My only hangup is that the DAC doesn't go above 192kHz/24-bit on Windows. Seems low to me.

I'm new to audiophile-grade equipment. The LCD's are new and I've never used a standalone DAC/amp before, but I'm hesitant to bottleneck my throughput here. Yet, at the same time, I know it'll pair brilliantly with the XC's because it was made to do so. Some suggest that higher bitrates aren't even perceivable, others argue against it, and I'm just wondering why Audeze would place such a firm limitation on their hardware in the first place, especially for one operating system and not another. Anyone have recommendations here?

 

[canthearyou]

That is no issue whatsoever.

 

[Monsterzero]

It depends on the files you own and how much of your collection is,or will be above 24/192.The Chord Mojo is future proof with a 24/768 bitrate but those files dont even exist yet AFAIK.

If it was capped at 24/96 I could see your hesitation but I agree with the above poster that 24/192 limit isnt much of a limitation IMO....at least for now.

 

[Music Alchemist]

If you take a hi-res file and convert it (using a program like dBpoweramp) to lossless 16-bit / 44.1 kHz, it will sound identical. Check out the links below.

https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/24bit-vs-16bit-the-myth-exploded.415361

So you don't need hi-res files at all. But if you insist upon it, you can play files that are higher resolution than your DAC supports by using DS (DirectSound: the Windows default) output instead of bit-perfect output (like ASIO, WASAPI, and KS). Under most circumstances, it should sound the same regardless of the settings you use as long as you disable enhancements in Windows.

You're highly unlikely to find files higher than 24/192 anyway.

The Chord Mojo is future proof with a 24/768 bitrate but those files dont even exist yet AFAIK.

Actually, it supports up to 32-bit / 768 kHz via USB and coax.

 

[ZeeMox]

Cool, thanks for the help. I'll get the Deckard.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

yeah I wouldn't sweat it either like everyone is saying. Enjoy the Deckard! That is a sweet pairing with the LCD XC

 

[ZeeMox]

The Deckard was available for $350 refurbished from Audeze yesterday when I made the thread and is now back to standard price. God damnit. Maybe I'll get a Mojo after all. Bah. O cruel fate.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

If we still had our demo deckard I would have taken care of you. Mojo is a better DAC section then the Deckard, not sure how much juice the LCDXC needs?

 

[Music Alchemist]

Maybe I'll get a Mojo after all.

I drove quite a few headphones from the Mojo with good results, including the LCD-X.

not sure how much juice the LCDXC needs?

The LCD-XC is 100 dB/mW @ 20 ohms, so it's very easy to drive.

 

[ZeeMox]

I drove quite a few headphones from the Mojo with good results, including the LCD-X.

That's good to hear. I read some posts from members who weren't super hot on the Mojo with LCD's, but then again there is an opinion to back up or refute every possible setup around here. The Mojo is more appealing to me overall. I was only interested in the Deckard since it was made to pair with the X/XC's.