2. digital
  3. 180528-80805

Little Giant NOS DAC mini review

I bought this dac a few months ago from Aliexpress. It is a 47 Labs clone with a Philips TD1387 chip in non-oversampling mode.

It also employs a variant of the Pass output buffer, and utilizes a sole S/PDIF coaxial input.

When using this dac with my computer, differing levels of digital distortion were clearly present, with the best digital files having the least. The results were good to terrible.

But when I use my Carver MV5 cd player as a transport, I get much different and improved results.

Not only is the distortion reduced to a tolerable level, the sound is warmer and smoother, with a good soundstage and imaging.

I would also say that it is closer to analog than my old Micromega Stage 3, while providing more air and apparent resolution.

soundmann
soundmann OP
17 posts
 

I forgot to mention that I don’t really stream, and that I have a good soundcard.

 

Vinyl and cd’s are my main source of listening.

melm
1,082 posts
 

I find it to be an accurate one which appears to neither add nor subtract anything from the signal it receives.

And how do you know this?  What is your reference?

soundmann OP
17 posts
 

In absolute terms, digital is not, and cannot be truly accurate to the original performance in its present form.

 

But, an astute listener can thru years of listening experience gain the knowlege and ability to fairly accurately judge whether or not a particular component is lossy, colored or inaccurate to the format source in general.

melm
1,082 posts
 

In absolute terms, digital is not, and cannot be truly accurate to the original performance in its present form.

This is what you say now.  But earlier you said:

I find it to be an accurate one which appears to neither add nor subtract anything from the signal it receives.

Original performance?

Original signal?  This beckons a reference!

The BS meter is starting to take off.

soundmann OP
17 posts
 

I find it accurate to what my redbook cd’s are capable of, nothing more, and nothing less if I am not splitting hairs over it.

 

I will put on a direct to disc record if I am in the mood to obsess over how accurate something sounds to the real thing.

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