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AUDIO FORUMS >> Digital >> The Hundred Buck DAC
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Message started by CAJames on 01/08/26 at 22:37:57

Title: The Hundred Buck DAC
Post by CAJames on 01/08/26 at 22:37:57

Long story short my listening "room" is torn apart and isn't going to be back together for a while. And virtually all my CDs are packed up for the duration. I've moved my (non-Decware) pre/headphone amp and fileserver into my bedroom but I needed a small, cheap DAC to decode the files. Donnie has pimped the Fiio K11, but I don't want to pay for a headphone amp, and it doesn't do DSD. I got the Topping D10S for a hundred bucks and change. They had a balanced version, but it costs more and you need a special connector to get the balanced signal so even more money.

The D10S runs off USB power, so no additional power supply, and has literally no functions or user interface. You feed it digital on USB, S/PDIFF/COAX or Toslink/Optical and the music comes out on RCAs. I've played pretty much everything from 16/44 FLAC to DSD256. Right out of the box it sounded a little funky, but I ran music through it overnight (amp off) and after that it was fine. I continue to run it and it has maybe smoothed out a little more. It does NOT sound as good as my high dollar Denafrips DAC+DDC. It doesn't have the detail, the clarity or the "headstage." But it sounds good. It is a little on the warm, forgiving side which is probably a good choice. I've thrown classical/jazz/rock and some irredeemably audiophile tracks at it and nothing sounds less than fine. It is hooked up with expensive cables, which I'm sure don't hurt, but cables won't make a bad DAC sound good.

FWIW

Title: Re: The Hundred Buck DAC
Post by Donnie on 01/09/26 at 02:31:28

I'm telling you that these cheap DAC's aren't a joke.
It is incredible how good they sound compared to even a 5 year old $1000 DAC.

I guess the times are changing.