Hello, I just joined, primarily for the audiophile products. Looking at purchasing the NHT C3 speakers for our new living room. Space is about 15 feet wide by 33 long and they will fire long ways. Space is just for general listening, music room with all equipment is downstairs, so hoping they will fill it with sound nicely. Cheers.
Mar 18, 2024
After enjoying it for the great unit that it is; yes, then it can be a DAC stepping stone, after more audiophile liquid cash is gained, by using it with a DarkVoice or another stand-alone dedicated amp. Or, it would make a nice work desk DAC-amp.
I would not purchase it as a stand-alone DAC, so many other great choices out there...
This is a steal while they last:
https://www.amazon.com/Korg-DSDAC100-Channel-Portable-Playback/dp/B00GGHHG8A/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1509825896&sr=8-20-spons&keywords=DAC++DSD&psc=1
The quality of the build, down to the traces on the board, is impeccable. The components are designed in, not shopped. The ‘unlocked‘software included has dithering coded to be a symbiotic partner to the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC. I am using it it in another unlocked manner, native DSD, a feature that should be called re-productive musical lubricity.
It was made by instrument makers to the artists, for us to again hear the artists, as they want us to. Who better really?
How I get music re-created, or stolen back...
Amazon was a fast ship, it comes out of a music store in OR that must have gotten a bunch of them, with other instrument stuff, direct link here, Amazon was with free shipping: https://www.musicalsupplydirect.com/search.php?search_query_adv=korg+100
The Korg has a built-in headphone amp, but with the power in the LCX, you won't be using it with your 6XX, but of course try it for fun. Would like to hear a compairson review.
Get a good USB cable, longer if you need up to 1.5 Meter: https://www.amazon.ca/Pangea-Audio-cable-solid-silver/dp/B005AUH8SM or with a dedicated 5V supply: https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-Premier-Cable-Meter/dp/B06XPQF2R5
You can use the balanced XLR out too: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZMK48Y/ref=sr_1_1_twi_col_ti_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1509982855&sr=1-1&keywords=pangea+XLR
Download; http://www.korg.com/caen/products/audio/audiogate4/download.php , and unlock Audiogate 4 in your PC, use any files/source, up-sample whatever you have, and do get some DSD files to try; something like this is from a DSD master, pretty much as close as you can get, not ripped from an SACD: "DSD file created by Gus Skinas from the original DSD audio used to create the existing domestic U.S. SACD " http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/95282/Steely_Dan-Gaucho-DSD_Single_Rate_28MHz64fs_Download
I am only now deciding things such as whether DSD 2.8 tracks are better listened to in/at native 2.8, or up-sampled to 5.6, and wondering what 11.2 will do...
Not doing PCM anymore per se, up-sampling all to DSD 5.6.
The ODAC tops out at 24/96 and the Modi 2 Uber at 24/192 PCM, the Korg at DSD 5.6
The pics show the three levels of what you are considering; I like looking under the hood.
From Korg:
" The data on the computer must be conveyed to the DS-DAC-100 unit with as little loss as possible. KORG has developed native drivers to implement truly native playback of DSD data, where the data is conveyed via the USB cable while still in DSD format and then DA-converted within the converter unit itself. To ensure trouble-free compatibility between the playback software and the DAC, we have taken advantage of our many years of experience with DSD data to create drivers that deliver stable operation and the highest-quality playback on both Windows and Mac."
What DoP is doing, basically mailing with a stamp,, more steps available for loss/corruption (dcsltd.co.uk):
"FAQ: What is DoP (DSD over PCM)? The original idea for DoP was invented by dCS in 2011. It involves taking groups of 16 adjacent 1-bit samples from a DSD stream and packing them into the lower 16 bits of a 24/176.4 data stream. Data from the other channel of the stereo pair is packed the same way. A specific marker code in the top 8 bits identifies the data stream as DoP, rather than PCM. The resulting DoP stream can be transmitted through existing 24/192-capable USB, AES, Dual AES or SPDIF interfaces to a DoP-compatible DAC, which reassembles the original stereo DSD data stream COMPLETELY UNCHANGED. "
Let me know if anyone is buying the "completely unchanged" part, in isochronous transfer...