[WhiteCrow]

Well title says it all. I have been looking everywhere and I just cant seem to find a good sub $300 DAC. Creative has the X-fi and Nuforce has there's but the uDAC is USB in only and the creative X-fi is a pain to set to set up. Anyone have any other suggestions? I was looking into a Zero DAC but shipping pushed it out of my price range.

 

[Stitch]

Have you looked at the V-dac from musical fidelity?
Has a pretty solid reputation.
 
The new Schiit Bifrost could be interesting too. $249. You'd have to wait till august though.
 
Muse audio has a cheap option.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/512389/mini-dac-tda1543-x-4-nos
 

 

[WhiteCrow]

yea...the V-DAC is about $200 out of my price range. I was thinking along the lines of 50-150.

 

[WhiteCrow]

Been looking on head-fi for feed back about the Fubar DAC's anyone know about those?
 

 

[aurabullet]

You could always stretch your budget to maybe 110 and get a HRT music streamer II used.

 

[WhiteCrow]

yea I was thinking about that. I really would like an Optical in so I could use if for my console games, but beggars cane be choosers some times.

 

[Stitch]

Ok, you confused me a bit. Thread title is $100 range and the op said sub $300.
But still, for 60 bucks the Muse quad TDA1543 may be worth it and get a cheap psu to keep it from frying.

 

[WhiteCrow]

yea the muse is a good option but there isn't much info about it. the V DAC is in the 300-400 range is what I said.
 
OH YEA, Maybe I will save up for the bifrost....but it's also an extra 100$ for USB out, aslong as it has Spdif it should be fine, not much info on the site about it.
 

 

[WhiteCrow]

Okay no Frost DAC, they start at $349. The MUSE dac would be great, but it seems like no one has them so I don't really trust the lack of reviews or information on them.

 

[Yoga Flame]

There's also the AMB gamma1. It has USB and optical as well. Either DIY it or commission MisterX to build it.
http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1/
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/390701/1-gamma-1-dac-thread

 

[Stitch]

Look at the Mini dac TDA1543x4 thread. Link is my first post. Several impressions are scattered throughout the thread, together with upgrade/mod possibilties and one or two alternatives.
 
I've seen the V-dac on several places for 300 bucks. Also there where a few in the for sale section.

 

[WhiteCrow]

yea i saw those, I may look into the muse DAC again, or that DIY one, but I'm not so good with electronic or reading the specs for them or the circutry "maps".

 

[thelsuman]

What about an Audio-gd Sparrow?:
 
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/Sparrow/SparrowEN.htm
 
The basic version only costs $140 (excluding shipping) & it also has a HP amp.