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Zilfallion
150
Mar 17, 2018
So you know, I skimmed this, because something I've been considering in a DAC purchase is if I want balanced output for speakers if I pick up something like a JBL LSR305(or 308). Are there any decent options in the pure DAC department? The Topping DX7s is a full DAC/Amp. The Jotunheim's DAC is meh, and I won't want a 400 dollar pre-amp for a soso DAC.
Are there any decently measuring DACs with balanced 1/4" or XLR outputs in the ~300 dollar range? (Or under)
Juka
191
Mar 17, 2018
ZilfallionBalanced is marketed towards the highend, save up some more to increase your budget and your options will grow
Zilfallion
150
Mar 17, 2018
JukaIs that really an excuse though? I mean the low end Behringer UMC22 at $40 has balanced 1/4" TRS outputs. It probably isn't very amazing, and might not be a truly balanced setup(probably isn't), but it has balanced outs. The UMC204HD has them as well and measures OKAY(weak output strength, noise floor a little high when level matched against better DACs) for under a hundred and mic interfaces. Why is this not a thing on the solid 100-300 dollar DAC market where you see a lot of the really good performing level DACs? There's probably something out there that performs well with balanced outs. I mean, the DX7 went for 400 that's fully balanced with a headphone amp, the Jot-DAC is 100 and while missing a lot of the rest of the features you'd want, is balanced.
For headphones? Sure, Balanced isn't really that much of a difference for most things, but I don't really like the idea of shoving an RCA to XLR or 1/4" TRS into a powered speaker if there's something that's decent that has balanced outs.
thomasharrick
2
Mar 17, 2018
ZilfallionYou're not going to get a good DAC with XLR or 1/4" for $300. The only hope you have is with this one: https://www.oppodigital.com/headphone-amplifier-ha-2SE/ (look at it on Amazon), which sounds great but only has a headphone jack as output. It's meant for the road.
Zilfallion1/4" is really more of a pro-audio staple (audio interface/PA gear), on the consumer side of things the Teac UD 301 can sometimes be picked up in that range and it comes with XLR. Massdrop had it's "bigger brother" the 501 for $359 but that one lacks pre-amp ability of the 301. The older Emotiva XDA 1/2 had both XLR differential output and pre-amp ability in that price range.
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