Help me find the right DAC


Dear AudioGon community,

please help me pick a a dac based on the following criteria:

MUST HAVE:
optical in / rca analog out
Ethernet in and ROON support
price $700 or less ( i’m totally open to buying used )
WOULD LIKE...
It to be awesome 😎
and MQA decoding.

Thanks in Advance!
-Andrew



andrewkelley

Showing 2 responses by mzkmxcv

So, you want a streamer? Because a DAC just takes digital in and outputs analog, they don’t support Roon or any internet connection.  
  
A streamer with a good DAC, Roon, and MQA support for <$1000 is asking a lot, specifically because Roon and MQA are gonna have fees.  
  
From a technical standpoint in regards to audibility, MQA offers nothing over PCM, so I would forgo it. 
 
The BlueSound Node 2i is $500; it’s DAC is ok, but you can add say an SMSL SU-8 for $250, which is a pure DAC, and a very good one.
@andrewkelley 
 
The mentioned BlueSound Node 2i should be up your alley then. For optical in, you’ll just need a Toslink to mini Toslink cable: FosPower, EMK, and KableDirekt have ones on Amazon; or get any normal Toslink to Toslink cable and get an mini Toslink adaptor. 
 
Again, the DAC inside the BlueSound Node 2i is decent. However, it’s optical input is very poor. Again, I recommend something like the SMSL SU-8 to go with it, it can take full-size Toslink as well as digital coax (the BlueSound sound output digital coax (aka RCA) to the SMSL).