Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2015 16:54:46 GMT
Greetings!
I use an ODAC. I bought it because it's cheap, measures well & doesn't need external power.
As many will know I've recently been testing out amps and I've been pleasantly surprised to find that substantial gains can be had for not a lot of money - looking at you, G1217.
So while I save my pennies for an amp I thought I'd look into DAC's. Now, I don't really know the first thing about digital audio. I've made some tentative enquiries into upgrading from the ODAC but I don't really know where to go. I have a Fiio E18 that I used to use as a portable DAC/Amp. In that role it's fantastic. However it can also be used as a stand-alone DAC when connected to my computer. I never got around to trying it out in that role because it need a particular cable that I didn't have. Until now. I ordered a cheap 3.5mm to RCA cable from Amazon yesterday & it turned up today.
I now have my E18 hooked up to my Mac & I'm really not sure what I'm hearing. It seems quieter overall, as though there's less signal, if you know what I mean. Is that possible? Aren't all DAC's the same in that regard? I think I'm also hearing less bass.
Using adjectives like 'quieter' and 'less' makes it sound negative but I think I actually like it. Music seems a tad more relaxed. There doesn't seem to be any less detail to my ears. I also think I'm getting less of that polarised headphone sound. There's maybe more of a sound-stage & it's less in-the-head sounding.
The ODAC chip is the ESS Sabre ES9023, whereas the E18 uses a Texas Instruments PCM1798.
I know that Fiio traditionally used Wolfson DAC's and the E18 is their first implementation of the TI DAC. Talk on the E18 threads over on HF suggested that the TI DAC was brighter & faster than the Wolfson's and so the E18 didn't have the Fiio laid-back house-sound. I've no idea about that as the E18 is the only Fiio product I have. Well, apart from an E5 (I think) but the less said about that the better.
The thing is, it's not so easy to quickly switch DAC's in order to compare them & the fact that the output level seems different makes it even harder.
I'd appreciate any input you good people can give.
Gordon.
I use an ODAC. I bought it because it's cheap, measures well & doesn't need external power.
As many will know I've recently been testing out amps and I've been pleasantly surprised to find that substantial gains can be had for not a lot of money - looking at you, G1217.
So while I save my pennies for an amp I thought I'd look into DAC's. Now, I don't really know the first thing about digital audio. I've made some tentative enquiries into upgrading from the ODAC but I don't really know where to go. I have a Fiio E18 that I used to use as a portable DAC/Amp. In that role it's fantastic. However it can also be used as a stand-alone DAC when connected to my computer. I never got around to trying it out in that role because it need a particular cable that I didn't have. Until now. I ordered a cheap 3.5mm to RCA cable from Amazon yesterday & it turned up today.
I now have my E18 hooked up to my Mac & I'm really not sure what I'm hearing. It seems quieter overall, as though there's less signal, if you know what I mean. Is that possible? Aren't all DAC's the same in that regard? I think I'm also hearing less bass.
Using adjectives like 'quieter' and 'less' makes it sound negative but I think I actually like it. Music seems a tad more relaxed. There doesn't seem to be any less detail to my ears. I also think I'm getting less of that polarised headphone sound. There's maybe more of a sound-stage & it's less in-the-head sounding.
The ODAC chip is the ESS Sabre ES9023, whereas the E18 uses a Texas Instruments PCM1798.
I know that Fiio traditionally used Wolfson DAC's and the E18 is their first implementation of the TI DAC. Talk on the E18 threads over on HF suggested that the TI DAC was brighter & faster than the Wolfson's and so the E18 didn't have the Fiio laid-back house-sound. I've no idea about that as the E18 is the only Fiio product I have. Well, apart from an E5 (I think) but the less said about that the better.
The thing is, it's not so easy to quickly switch DAC's in order to compare them & the fact that the output level seems different makes it even harder.
I'd appreciate any input you good people can give.
Gordon.