Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
flarp
70
Dec 25, 2017
I got mine a couple of days ago and have been using it since. I haven't done any A-B tests with other DACs, so this is my just quick impression based on memory of how my other DACs/amps sound. I've only used this as a the combined USB DAC + headphone amp, so I can't comment on the RCA inputs/outputs. The RCA ports definitely does make this a versatile little package though.
The SDAC is good and clean sounding across the ranges in the music I've listened to so far, and the amp is plenty powerful to drive the headphones and IEMs I've tried so far (even some planars, all without high gain). The sound is more analytical, which I suppose holds true to the goal of the original ODAC + O2 design.
Construction-wise, it feels pretty well made. The fit and finish on the chassis and panels is good. The headphone output, volume knob, RCA ports, USB input, and power input ports all feel solid. The rubber O-rings on the volume knob are a nice touch. The power and gain buttons have a little bit of lateral movement, but they're not loose by any means. The power-indicator LED looks a bit out of place right in the middle of the front panel, but it doesn't affect function.
Overall, I think the SDAC+O2 is a good value. It's a marked improvement to the default sound in any computer and will work well with most headphones (and powered speakers). Improvements beyond this are going to be more a matter of personal preference (ie. different sound profiles). For most, I'd expect this could be a one-shot solution to take care of your computer audio needs.
The setup I've been using: - Source: Macbook Pro, Spotify, iTunes (playing some ALAC tracks) - Headphones: Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart, Monoprice Monolith MP1060, V-Moda M-100 - IEMs: Westone 3, Ultimate Ears UE900, Shure SE215
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in Audiophile