What's the Best DAC for the Money - DAC Tier List - 25 DACS in 22 Minutes wt 3 Child Interruptions!

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What's the Best DAC for the Money - DAC Tier List - 25 DACS in 22 Minutes wt 3 Child Interruptions!

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Күн бұрын

S Tier
Geshelli J2 (Forgot to Mention in the Video) bit.ly/3l9ND4b
Schiit Modi 3+ amzn.to/3AyzvHq
Earstudio M100 ii amzn.to/2YwT2el
Apple lighting to 3.5mm amzn.to/2YJ2nzw
Denafrips Ares 2 bit.ly/3Av6Kwc
A Tier
Topping E50 amzn.to/3iMJSku
Hidizs S9Pro bit.ly/3iSyqo5
B Tier
SMSL SU8s amzn.to/3mI4fkf
Schiit Bifrost 2 bit.ly/3lp6qtx
Orchard Audio Pecan Pi bit.ly/3Fwbcxc
FX Audio D01 amzn.to/30dxfJ5
Prozor amzn.to/2YF10Sz
Helm Bolt amzn.to/3AuaMDM
Soncoz LAQXD1 bit.ly/38FFIpq
Topping EX5 amzn.to/3Duww4i
C Tier
SMSL Sanskrit amzn.to/3DqF902
Dragonfly Red amzn.to/3Ft8fhb
Ifi Zen amzn.to/3oOodfW
SMSL M300 ii amzn.to/3FA5LgI
D Tier
Matrix Mini Pro bit.ly/3DqFAYe
Topping D50s amzn.to/3Fv4yrd
SMSL M200 amzn.to/2YF1A2H
F Tier
Ifi Neo IDSD amzn.to/3mK8SdI
Topping E30 amzn.to/3BsjQut
Topping D90se amzn.to/3akLVYJ
Hifiberry (Not a DAC) digi hat amzn.to/3Dsbpjm
Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
High Res Music Streaming for FREE!!!!
Amazon Music Unlimited Free Trial amzn.to/3fiiMPC
Test Track Playlist:
music.amazon.c...
Satanic Panic Playlist:
music.amazon.c...
Leg Warmers Playlist
music.amazon.c...
cheapaudioman
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Recommended Speaker List
Around $100 (These prices will fluctuate between $75 - $150)
Sony SSCS5 - Lively amzn.to/3pZNnGk
Pioneer AJ First Gen - Laid Back
Neumi BS5 -Neutral amzn.to/3q0SR3B
Around $200
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Elac Debut b5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/2WPNQxw
Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 (In and Out of Stock) - Laid Back/Bassy/Detailed amzn.to/37W8hPA
JBL Stage A130 - Neutral/Great All Arounder at $179 the best value amzn.to/3t7gOHe
Around $400
Klipsch RP600M - Neutral amzn.to/3pBoXCf (This speaker’s price can fluctuate between $440-630 which is really dumb)
Jamo C93ii Bit - Boosted on Top amzn.to/3beIG6F (Can also be found cheaper at Crutchfield)
Q Acoustics 3030i - Neutral with Punch - amzn.to/2OQkpLo
Around $500
SVS Prime bit.ly/2LozJgF
Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 bit.ly/2ZckoD9
Around $600
Elac Uni-Fi UB5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/3s3srPG
Elac Debut Reference - Buttery but Detailed amzn.to/39bt6WC
Polk Reserve R100 - Neutral
Aperion Novus - Neutral and probably the best desktop speaker one can get $599 bit.ly/2Q1H9rW
Aperion Novus Open Box $449 bit.ly/3us8zGx
Wharfedale Diamonds Lush and Detailed amzn.to/3aBAso0 Come as singles
Recommended Amp List
Under $100
Aiyima A07 - Neutral and Full amzn.to/3g9YLNf
Around $130
SMSL AD18 - DAC/Amp Lively on top but solid tone controls amzn.to/3rVZxkN
SMSL SA300 $140 amzn.to/3u83oLs
Around $250
SMSL DA-9 Balanced Amp amzn.to/34SdbLs
Around $400
Emotiva TA-100 - DAC, Phono Stage, Pre Outs - Balanced and Tasty emotiva.com?aff=9
Vista Audio Spark www.vista-audio...
Recommended DACs
Ifi Zen DAC amzn.to/2T3wuyY
FX D01 amzn.to/3d9GY6U
SMSL SU8s amzn.to/2SWTGiw
Denafrips Ares 2 www.denafrips....
Subs
Emotiva SE8 emotiva.com?aff=9
Emotiva SE12 emotiva.com?aff=9
SVS SB1000 Pro bit.ly/3scmwsc

Пікірлер: 775

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

@KevinTernes 2 жыл бұрын

Randy, what is your justtification for placing the Geshelli J2 in S?

@petermortensen2405 2 жыл бұрын

I'm using the EarStudio M100 Mk 2 with my HiFiMan Sundara and it's quite awesome with the companion app. Lots of much more expensive DACs fail by lack of proper EQ and other essentials. Most headphones and speakers at any price can benefit from some careful EQ.

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

@@KevinTernes balanced. Sounds similar to d90se. Great soundstage. $300

@kateg151 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Randy. I do have a Dragonfly Cobalt and Apple Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. I don't think I can tell the difference in sound quality, the Apple adapter is just a little bit "rolled off" but no lack of details and which is "warm sounding" in "sound signature" if I speak in "audiophile's language''. Maybe that is why Apple never mentioned cutting edge DAC in their new products announcement event.

@deathowner88 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Randy you already answered my question I came here to the comments just to do that ask about the gicelli.

@canjo7301 2 жыл бұрын

Never apologize for being interrupted by your children. They will be grown up and gone before you know it, cherish every moment you get to spend with them.

@seancurtin5131 2 жыл бұрын

BS, 20 to 30 years is not a short time and it's life sucking.

@CarefreeRambler 2 жыл бұрын

I agree but doing the opposite.

@logotrikes 2 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more dude. You'll regret all the things you didn't do when you had the chance to do them. Sounds a bit trite, but true nonetheless..

@patrickheredia1431 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah no worries. I'm there with ya my dood. 3 under 2.

@harisjaved1379 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

@habasescuandrei8145 Жыл бұрын

Came in looking for some advice regarding my first DAC for my upcoming setup. Got not only that, but also witnessed one of the most wholesome dad moments on the platform. Great content, brief yet detailed, touched on the most important parts when it comes to purchasing such a device. Getting pretty long here but thanks for the video, quality stuff. Keep up the good work.

@FlyGuy457 2 жыл бұрын

Oh heck man,, it's ok when child comes in. It is who you are and we understand. Too many DACS, a lot of details but this really helps my next step. Keep on!

@joelhansen7373 2 жыл бұрын

I would find this more useful if you first rated their sound quality & features without considering their cost. Then once you have them classified as, say A class, you show cost by its placement horizontally with the cheapest to the left & the most expensive to the right. So the sweet spot is higher & to the left. That way you could look & see what are the best DAC’s for under a $100 or the top contenders for around $200-$250 or the best irregardless of price. A combined rating mixing cost, sound quality & features into a single combined score just isn’t as useful.

@scotto541 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, while I Really loved the vid and want more of them, THIS is what I was hoping for. I watch because I trust your opinion (and like how you present it). With a pure SQ ranking I could just scrub the list for my budget and be happy.

@quincyfreeman2901 2 жыл бұрын

That seems like a big ask… knowing your own budget, you could easily just see what’s at the top in you price range and connection style needs.

@tomons8059 2 жыл бұрын

I totally agree. IMHO It's more usefull if the tier is based on sound and not the price. You can fit your budget thereafter--and budget is flexible.

@chrisandrew_tv 2 жыл бұрын

See the name of his channel...😂

@westernartifact580 2 жыл бұрын

Good idea

@djstevev6793 2 жыл бұрын

I don't care what you are reviewing...you are funny as heck...continued success!

@danielmarinholcombes73 2 жыл бұрын

One of your best videos yet Randy and Im glad you included your kiddie interruptions. You not only show your kids lots of love which in today's world is special, you do a superb job of tiering a complicated item.

@wontonzilla 2 жыл бұрын

8 months ago you reviewed the topping e30 and said it "sounds great and a great value and a great dac" Today you "can't even listen to it"and it's bottom of the list. What changed?

@AenimaEater 2 жыл бұрын

Was wondering the same...

@sergeysmelnik 2 жыл бұрын

He doesnt know what hes talking about

@Feliciano12v 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe he has heard better sounding units which pushed it to the bottom of the list.

@musicm8kr 2 жыл бұрын

If it sounds harsh now, it would've sounded harsh then (during his first review)...

@mongo2044 2 жыл бұрын

Sometimes I cannot listen to my favorite DAC. Harshness seems to be the big thing with it. So I use a softer sounding one. The mammalian inner ear is one friggin amazing piece of evolution. People have no idea. Many chambers. Different cells and even crystals that float on a jelly! People also listen to music too loudly for too long. If you limit to no more than an hour a day, you should be OK. But it is cumulative. If you burn up your ears in an hour, it will be elevator levels the rest of the day. Also, as you age, your hearing goes to hell. Starting in your early 20s! But more noticeable by mid 40s. Especially for men. All of this adds up. A DAC really needs a month of testing and comparison to be sure. Even then, as always, the audio engineering is what really matters the most! I have some 16/44.1 recordings that are incredible. But there are plenty of 24/192 or higher that are garbage. Many pop recordings after 2000 are also heavily over manipulated and in doing so, they eat up resolution. Some pop music is only 8 bits! This is why used CDs are a big bargain right now. Cheap. You own them. The Sony and Phillips engineers knew what they were doing and 16/44.1 is really all 95% of us need!

@maestro0428 2 жыл бұрын

I can’t get enough of your delivery! And your daughter interrupting is so my life! Keep up the great work.

@mack7882 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information as an old poor getting back into music and audio. Upvote because of your daughter's interuption - as my daughters are now grown and it melted my heart to hear her little voice and to remember the joy of those days when they were small. Enjoy your family and children, it goes so fast.

@chiphill4856 6 ай бұрын

It happens in the blink of an eye. My wife and I are recent empty nesters. We miss them terribly.

@SouperSoup057 10 ай бұрын

Dude, you took the time to make this AND THEN GIVE ALL THE LINKS! This is amazing and what I was looking for. Thank you! 😁

@seanoreilly8603 2 жыл бұрын

Geshelli j2 for me at the moment. Got it on your recommendation and arrived here in Ireland in 6 days. Really good DAC and every bit as good as the audiolab m-dac + I had at 3 times the price. Well done Geshelli.

@barrystamp8600 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Sean, where did you purchase? How about custom fees into IRL?

@seanoreilly8603 2 жыл бұрын

@@barrystamp8600 Hi Barry. Straight from Geshelli labs in Florida, lovely to deal with. €25 delivery to my door in Dublin. No customs fee yet. Its 2 weeks since I got it. So don't expect a vat or tax bill at this stage. Hopefully. Have had tax and vat bills in the past. Don't know how it bypassed customs. But got a schiit mani from schitt to my door in the past, also avoided customs.

@barrystamp8600 2 жыл бұрын

@@seanoreilly8603 Thanks Sean, looking at this or maybe the new Topping DX3 PRO+.

@seanoreilly8603 2 жыл бұрын

@@barrystamp8600 don't know the topping. But the Geshelli still good. If you are in Ireland, I was hit with a very late FedEx customs bill for €57. I paid it. But dac still only stands me €350 or maybe a little less actually. 2 x coaxial and 2 x optical out. Plus I paid extra for the USB port. You could save if not needed.

@enutrofdude Жыл бұрын

I bought a Dragonfly Red nearly seven years ago, and have been quite pleased with its performance. If I'd watched this video first, I might have bought something else instead. I'm not feeling an urgent need to upgrade at this time, but this is an excellent video for people who want to purchase their first DAC... which should be everyone who does not currently have one. Thanks! Edit: Wow, that Geshelli J2 looks wonderful. Now I actually have a slight urge to upgrade.

@odwatchguy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Randy, really appreciate you listing the different tiers for dacs. I know all things are subjective but I watch because you give your honest opinion and don't worry about what some people say.

@richardsmith2721 2 жыл бұрын

I completely agree with your assessment of the Topping E30. I sent it back because it was an ear burner. So many people were saying how wonderful it was when it came out. They kept going on and on about the wonderful measurements. Where we differ is on the SMSL Sanskrit MKII and Schiit Modi 3+. I have the opposite impressions of them. I find the SMSL to be smoother in the mids and highs and it certainly isn't thin sounding to me. I like the Modi, except I can't stand the bright LED. It gives me flashbacks to gaming rigs from 15 years ago.

@eeyorebill04 2 жыл бұрын

Also, I love that you kept the child interruptions. They’re freaking adorable!

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, man.

@goobfilmcast4239 2 жыл бұрын

You hit the nail on the head.....for many higher priced products, there is nothing in the quality of the output that justifies the price. I have been able to purchase a wider variety of (mostly portable) audio equipment by watching Vids from Zeos, DMS, Josh Valour and now you.... keep up the good work.

@HDJMorrison 2 жыл бұрын

I must be deaf, I can't tell apart E30, D10s (Balanced), Ares II, E50, D90SE, my friend who own some of those can... but at the same he can't tell apart headphones from different batches and I can.

@donpettit7107 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Randy…I think you promised me a tiered list or better yet, an X-Y graph of cost vs sound quality (maybe color coding warm vs analytical for amp matching) for speakers a while back…did I miss that? Would still love to see that…and maybe one for amps as well! Keep up the hard work…we are beneficiaries of that with every video.

@SteveRyder 2 жыл бұрын

This idea is far better than a tier list which is either performance or value but not both.

@photodesignch 2 жыл бұрын

Are you suggesting the hot & crazy scale? :p

@michaelgillam3475 2 жыл бұрын

right before they were eaten by sharks, that's why I watch this, love it

@GerhardCombrink 2 жыл бұрын

Apple's latest Mac Pro 14 and 16" high fidelity audio jacks also produces phenominal sound quality. Feed them to a Fosi amp and a set of Diamond 12.2 speakers and you have something truly AMAZING!

@jb678901 2 жыл бұрын

Just bought a second FiiO BTA30Pro, which (for $116 delivered) has proven a versatile device that provides me DAC, TX, and RX modes. Able to support LDAC, AAC, SBC, AptX HD, AptX LL, this unit is a favorite of mine. Nice build too, with ALU chassis, metal-knob volume control, and multiple connection ports. As well, the USB-C provides it both power AND signal from my PC. Use it to feed vintage receivers in both the office and family room. Love it...hence a second purchase.

@luctardif8444 2 жыл бұрын

This is my first time on your channel. The reviews was good and the children interruptions was lovely 😊. I replace my Schiit modi 3 for a Schiit Modius and it sounds great. At 199 US $ I think it worth a try.

@markostendorf1122 2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate the heads up …. was considering the Modi 3….will consider the modius now

@luctardif8444 2 жыл бұрын

@@markostendorf1122There’s 15 days satisfaction policy for Schiit products. So you can return it if you don’t like it. It is very easy.

@kamadeva1 2 жыл бұрын

The Modi Multibit is a revelation compared to both of those for $250. It's a mini Bifrost, and is incredibly smooth and detailed.

@JWForce1059 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent, will be purchasing a Sith Audio training sword in the near future. People might get antsy about teaching children about blade use at a young age, but the younger you start, the safer they'll be when they're older. Just requires knowledge of the three fundamental rules of Sith Audio blade safety: 1. Treat every Sith Audio blade as if it were loaded. 2. Leave the safety on and your fingers off the hilt until ready to slice or stab. 3. Never aim your Sith Audio blade at an object unless you are prepared to destroy it. Happy blading!

@billywindsock9597 2 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you didn't edit the girls out. Very sweet, bossing the Dad day job, but - she left without the Sith Audio Plastic Learn To Fight Japanese Sword.

@fletchermunson6225 2 жыл бұрын

Any truth to the rumor that Zeos moonlights as a life coach?

@Rob-lz5iz 10 ай бұрын

Time to update or delete this video - Many of the links say "Product Unavailable" - kind of frustrating.

@RGMDG 2 жыл бұрын

Child Interruption is definitely S Tier.. More important than the DACs. Thanks for the reviews..

@pinkyfloydyfan1 2 жыл бұрын

Denafrips Ares 2 all the way! I just check for this here, and you put it at the right spot: S!!! Best DAC ever for me!

@Sporting1210 2 жыл бұрын

Bifrost B while denafrips is S? i am cofused. They sound different but both great, and that is subjective anyway. the Bifrost is a wee bit cheaper and based on value i would have expected these two in the same tier.

@soulshinobi 2 жыл бұрын

Never heard any reviewer gush about the sound of the Bifrost like every reviewed does about the Denafrips.

@Sporting1210 2 жыл бұрын

@@soulshinobi well, yes. And i am not denying the qualities of the Ares II, but this list was majorly about value, wasn't it? So tell me how good does a freaking DAC have to sound to be S class value at 1100$ ? I would alrdy consider the Bifrost on the pricy side for a dac, So does the Ares II sound 300$ better then the Bifrost ?^^ I mean even in build quality these two are not really apart, which is and always was one of the strength of Schiit products. so as i said: i am just a bit confused about the gap.

@soulshinobi 2 жыл бұрын

@@Sporting1210 "So does the Ares II sound 300$ better then the Bifrost" I haven't heard them myself, but from every review I've seen the answer is yes.

@MaximusPrimusKay 2 жыл бұрын

You started your video by acknowledging and appreciating others in your field because you believe they deserve it. First time viewer and I like you already.

@miquifaye 2 жыл бұрын

SMSL su-8 should be in S tier . for such an inexpensive DAC , it actually performs well in a HIGH END system and budget system. The same can be said for Bifrost 2. Congratulations for the success of your channel.

@valentingheorghe1693 2 жыл бұрын

Don't be fooled by the gossip that soundstage is affected in any way by the DAC. Unless your DAC is severely broken, it will have no effect on soundstage. Soundstage starts with the source material (the way it was mixed and mastered) and is affected by external factors like speakers design, speakers placement, amplifucation and room acoustics (including treatment or lack of it). A DAC does exactly what it says: it converts a digital signal into an analog signal and its performance and final sound signature is affected by dynamic range, signal to noise ratio, total harmonic distortions, channel separation, frequency response and the quality of its power supply, electronics and analog output stage components.

@ASSOpid 2 жыл бұрын

Agree. That's why these reviews of DAC's are total crap. Either they work or they don't.

@wtcwtc9861 2 жыл бұрын

The Denafrips Ares 2 and the Orchard Audio Pecan Pi are now both the best dac's that cheapaudioman has ever heard.

@tomons8059 2 жыл бұрын

And Denafrips Ares 2 is way down the S Tier while Pecan Pie is number 3 in the B Tier. Hu hum . . .

@keithbarnes8231 6 ай бұрын

Don't know which video I saw the Topping D10S in, but it mentioned the optical output. This is exactly what I needed when my onboard sound circuit died on my Asus X570P motherboard. Number one i needed a soundcard or equivalent. Secondly I have a Samsung soundbar that I use for the computer and it is only a HDMI or optical input. The D10S is working great with no sync issues like bluetooth was having on my PC. Thanks cheapaudioman.

@clovisdacruz6078 2 жыл бұрын

I admire the fact that you took the time to review the most popular DACs out there. I as looking for a review like this. One reason why I dislike the SMSL DACs (or any other company which does so like them) is that they don’t include a power supply for their DACs, which is why they are misleadingly cheap. Not everyone uses a DAC only for USB, which is why the Zen DAC was given a low score and also USB requires a lot of treatment to sound better than spdif fibre optic toslink or coaxial rca.

@ujean56 2 жыл бұрын

You're still the chief of cheap in my books. Thanks for this excellent service. I've already ordered a sword for my new born nephew. He'll not be swordless, not if I can help it.

@LeDechaine 2 жыл бұрын

If you have a SMSL M100 and find it too bright, use your remote to set the filter to FL4. FL4 lowers the treble to -5dB @ 20khz (maybe even -5dB @ 15khz - that’s a really smooth slope, really makes a difference).

@thunderpooch 2 жыл бұрын

15khz is mostly inaudible, especially as one ages, and most music doesn't even contain much content at those levels. I wonder if it's an issue with the device 🤔

@LeDechaine 2 жыл бұрын

@@thunderpooch It's more that I have weird hearing quirks and I can very much hear 15khz+ (too much actually) so that helped.

@ginom407 2 жыл бұрын

Thank You for putting in all the work to bring us this review!!! It took me some time with a few different DACs to hear a difference, but I now believe. 👍👍👍

@Ryan-yi6su 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video I think you should be on TV Your sarcasm and the way you talk to the camera is world class I do have a question I wanted to buy a standalone dac , will all of these work?

@nedsferatu Жыл бұрын

I've been using minidsp products for many years with great success. It let's you really roll up your sleeves with the software, including EQ, crossovers and REW. The specs are great and sounds wonderful once dialed in. Not plug and play but great for learning and affordable.

@denny71730 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the great work. I have to disagree on some of what you say - but not much. Your channel is growing on me and I find myself seeking it out when I have a bit of downtime to watch. I like your no-nonsense approach. I hope your subscription base grows bodaciously! I'm going to try one of those DIY speaker sets. Back in the 1970s, I virtually memorized the Speakerlab Tech papers. They were really great. Looking forward to expanding what I think I know 😃. Best of the Best to you, Brother!

@georgemalone3318 2 жыл бұрын

Cheap audio man this was a really good review. I’ll be looking back at this video to reference relative differences between decks. Really nice job and unlike most videos I’ll be looking back at this one for reference thank you

@governmentliars4673 2 жыл бұрын

Look Randy...how did you bloody well know...I've been after Sith Audio Plastic Japanese Fighting Sword Replicas for like...EVER! Come on, Randy spill...where d'ya get it...

@prateeksamuel8603 Жыл бұрын

Topping E30 is S Tier. The Topping DAC is hands down the best in its price range! I've had the pleasure of using it and the sound quality is truly exceptional. The clarity and detail are unmatched and it's a perfect addition to any audiophile's setup. I've read other KZfaqrs reviews, and they all agree that this DAC is a fantastic value for the price. It's also very well built, and the compact size makes it easy to integrate into any system.

@Princeton_James Жыл бұрын

I agree 100%. I bought this then quickly went to a Schiit Fulla for the mic input. Well I took this one out of storage and plugged it in recently and man its good. I even got the E30ii but I really cannot tell the difference. Not really worth the upgrade. Either way, the E30 is excellent.

@diegocasd Жыл бұрын

khadas tone board > e30

@rjzlwop3153 2 жыл бұрын

Yo my good man, it’s amazing when you allow the kids to add a little bit of sparkle in your video. Shows how awesome of a dad you are. Have a great night and thank you for an amazing review

@harackmw 2 жыл бұрын

Some day when you get real sponsors I hope the style of delivery remains the same.😀

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

Lol. Me too

@deeplyclosetedindividual 2 жыл бұрын

What do you mean, they're not real?!

@harackmw 2 жыл бұрын

@@deeplyclosetedindividual As real as you need them to be!

@adrianmorrish8494 2 жыл бұрын

Hang on I bought the audiophile sander last week, had to haggle him up from $390 to $797 and still wasn't sure I was paying enough.

@madisonsinclair5123 Жыл бұрын

My favorite video of yours to date. Thanks, mainly, for the child interruptions. You are so great with them. ❤️

@terryhk99leung36 2 жыл бұрын

Love the authenticity, on your evaluation as well as your style..thank so much for your work.. from a Hong Kong audiophile

@IdiotAudio Жыл бұрын

For some reason this video autoplayed after I watched New Record Day's latest post. I still watched it all. Thanks for this Randy!

@kennieminski7080 2 жыл бұрын

The bracelet was an excuse she stole her sword back.

@kingkongz88 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for a good summary of bang for buck, love it. If anyone knows why the Toping D50s is tier 3 (Randy, you said long in the tooth) yet it measures higher accuracy than many in the list at audioscience and can be had sub $200. I can't see why it is ranked D vs C or even B given price/cost. Which similar priced and functioned DAC would be the best in it's place (that doesn't just have balanced output)? This is an open question for you viewers. Thanks for any suggestions. I guess the E50 but two tiers higher?

@deeplyclosetedindividual 2 жыл бұрын

Measurements really don't mean that much. Sound quality can't be measured by a computer.

@skkayman 2 жыл бұрын

I would like to know too, I know it but reviews usually praise it. Is it because there are 1Mii copies? That does not make sense to me..

@TheRealPotoroo Жыл бұрын

I thought he was harsh on the D50S. It might lack balanced out but it's got BT 5.0 in which the E50 doesn't have.

@stevezeidman7224 2 жыл бұрын

Loved the vid today complete with the child interruptions! Always entertaining and informative. Covered so many of the DACs featured by the manufacturers.

@eeyorebill04 2 жыл бұрын

Nice! Have you heard the Schiit Modius yet? I did watch the whole video but I do agree with the others who said it might make more sense to rank them all in an absolute sense just based on how good the DAC is. And then do a secondary list that ranks the products’ overall value based on the DAC itself as well as the other features and the price. Just my 2 cents

@LeDechaine 2 жыл бұрын

You want a downside of the Ares 2? It LAGS. There's apparently a 40ms to 90ms latency to process audio and, well, make everything sound better. Apparently it's quite common in higher-end audio. Maybe it sounds glorious, but some people find it useless for movies or gaming. Some people don't care. Results may vary.

@carlosflup 2 жыл бұрын

a new cheapaudioman video?! My sunday just got better! honey, bring the popcorn, because we are in for a treat!

@lunoirxx Жыл бұрын

I love my ifi Hip DAC 2. Pretty well priced, sounds great, has good power output, has 3.5 mm unbalanced, and 4.4 mm balanced outputs, is very well built, and it's portable so you can take your more portable cans or IEMs with you. The battery life on it isn't bad and it charges quickly. Definitely recommend for $189.

@thomashobbes8786 2 жыл бұрын

Was wondering where the Geshelli was! Thanks for adding them on the comment. I agree, they're S-class!

@CovertOperative 2 жыл бұрын

The best value standalone DAC is the Soncoz SGD1 at GBP 349.99. The best value DAC within an integrated amplifier with bluetooth, headphone amplifier and phono stage, is the Audiolab 6000A at GBP 599.99.

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

There you have it. Covert Operative has spoken

@ferdinandquintos6524 Жыл бұрын

Practical, no-nonsense, real world comments -- fun on the side! Great work Sir!

@geneiwanskijr5957 2 жыл бұрын

Child interruptions are sweet, we need more of those.

@governmentliars4673 2 жыл бұрын

New Product Alert - Sith Audio Child Remote Control...'Stops your kids interrupting in a non-psychologically damaging way - You KNOW you want one...'!!

@greenbeginner3353 2 жыл бұрын

Didn’t Adam Sandler do a movie about that product?

@Dark-Star Жыл бұрын

Check out the Fosi Audio K4, not to be confused with the Q4, only available on the Fosi Audio website. The Fosi Audio K4 is unique in that it’s the only DAC with separate bass and treble controls sporting a TI PCM-5100 DAC feeding an excellent Analog Devices MAX97220 headphone amp/ preamp chip. Its got usb-c, toss-link, and coax inputs, as well as RCA preamp outputs. I’ve compared this humble $67.00 dollar DAC to about a dozen other DAC/ headphone amps from the $180.00 dollar HipDac to the $1000.00 dollar plus Diablo, and none of them sound as good as this Fosi Audio K4! I do react very positively to TI DACs and Analog Devices DACs and Amp chips, but a lot of those DACs I compared the Fosi Audio K4 to had TI Burr Brown DACs. However, none had separate Bass and Treble controls like the humble K4. I use those controls constantly. Not everyone will hear the way I hear, but I think the Fosi Audio K4 might be a possible giant killer, maybe. Certainly worth consideration at this price point. Indeed, regardless of price, I would choose the K4 over the Diablo and the HipDac and everything else. I can always get this humble little thing to sound exactly the way I want it to. However, I don’t like the Fosi Audio Q4 at all, and it’s more expensive and very popular. The Q4 has a Cirrus Logic DAC. That might be why I don’t like it. Of course, these are just my subjective perceptions. I have freakishly sensitive hearing and my ears are almost impossible to please.

@shitsandwich1983 2 жыл бұрын

i went from the ifi zen dac v2 to a mytek liberty dac and the difference in soundstage size, bass response and instrument seperation was dramatic.

@newkid7 2 жыл бұрын

Every other Dac can beat ifi zen in terms of seperation, but ifi zen + any grado = heaven.

@dustinrue 2 жыл бұрын

Fun list and I love that you leave the child interruptions in your videos.

@carlsitler9071 2 жыл бұрын

I did an A/B with the Schiit Multibit and the Sanskrit 2 and bought the Sanskrit. The Sanskrit is much better as it has a remote.

@sabrowenie 2 жыл бұрын

Schiit Modi3 and done. Was my gateway to hi rez music. Now have a Node. Your channel is great because it’s “real”. Best part was the kids.

@keithholmes6776 2 жыл бұрын

Topping D10S via coax into Schiit Modi into Schiit Mani Heresy - have already and aspire to Denafrips Ares 2

@Genjokoan Жыл бұрын

So I have watched a small bunch of your videos and I was sitting on the fence - subscribe or mark you down a few tiers, if you get my meaning. I have to say that I was ready to move on until the first visit from you daughter. That was beautiful. Thanks for that. Keeping it showed me you have more potential I had not yet noticed. The second visit was nice, but no magic. But wait, on the third visit you seemed to get a little testy. Bad, Randy, no - no! Do I jest? A little. But seriously, the playful interaction with your child MAKES you, and your opinions, more interesting. Thumbs up, with a snap!

@mikecampbell5856 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks to you, I bought a Schitt Modi 3 DAC today. I haven't had a good chance to really listen, but I noticed that I had to decrease my sub volume a bit so it looks like my bass response is already improved. Can't wait to crank it up!

@vannk73 2 жыл бұрын

I came here for the child interruptions, ended up learning a little bit about DAC's too.

@wric01 2 жыл бұрын

R2r Cayin ru6 for smartphones smacks all of them down. Yes folks batteries are silent vs noisy home electrical, you spend a fortune to quiet it down.

@JohnScheppler 2 жыл бұрын

Great tier list and thanks for talking the time to do this. Also love the children Interruptions but no ice cream this time, lol.

@svpolarexpress 2 жыл бұрын

I really enjoy your videos, but being an engineer, I must say that I get a stomach ache when I hear MQA being a "feature". I would encourage people to do their homework, run tests and look past MQA's shiny marketing claims. Unfortunately MQA is not lossless, in fact some other people ran tests and found significant oversampling aliasing that mirrors HF signals back into into the audible range, especially in the "folded" 44.1/16 versions. "Unfolding" and "rendering" the MQA file, and playing back at 88.2 reduces the aliasing, but introduces significant noise certainly not present in source files. This silly MQA, which authenticates absolutely nothing, ruined Tidal for me. My respect for their marketing staff, which fooled me for quite some time!

@aranc23 2 жыл бұрын

I like it when mqa is mentioned for any reason as it makes it easy to eliminate products from consideration :) but yeah, I wish it was called out as the junk it is.

@bradesco03 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for saying there is no “E tier” I was about to comment that I can’t trust any list that has an E tier.

@tmdillon1969 10 ай бұрын

I bought the Topping E50. Worked for two hours and then sent a "d3" defective unit code. I'm going to send it back and go with the Emotiva BasX unit. Buy once cry once rather than roll the Chi-fi quality control dice on this one.

@stevethetoolman2435 Жыл бұрын

You really got me laughter at the beginning with the plastic sword! Awesome. Thanks…..

@brandongardner2853 2 жыл бұрын

Great job man thank you for all the great vids and showing how to save and have great sound and being respectful over the kids they are truly a gift my 2 are the best thing that ever happened to me have a son and daughter my best friends my son got me back into audio he is such a good little guy blessed keep up the hard amazing work thank you again man

@mariozenarju6461 2 жыл бұрын

Update for MQA on phones, Tidal can now push all the data directly to DACs connected to it

@kimberlyjacobsen4148 Жыл бұрын

You just made a new thing. It’s called Price-Fi Compair cheap with expensive. And rate it on price vs quality. So when you have a system where we definitely have the law of diminishing returns. Where you have a exponentially growing curve, it’s not a fair test. Next do 2$ barely working headphones vs 5000$ and rate the 2$ once on s tier..

@Artcore103 2 жыл бұрын

HUGE missed opportunity to include the Khadas Tone Board!! Incredible performer at an incredible price... it measures incredibly well and i have one and it's amazing, and I have compared it to some schit dacs and something else I can't remember the name of but that was good. Khadas is better.

@Africoz2 2 жыл бұрын

Many seem to disagree with your judgement of the Topping E30, including me. It definitely benefits, audio wise, from being powered from a power source other than a USB wall wart. I power mine from a lithium power bank, as recommended by many reviewers. YMMD, however.

@James-ye7rp 2 жыл бұрын

Dear Cheapaudioman. Love the Childus Interruptus. You do realize that now you will be known a Master Biscuit, or some variation, from here on out.

@rahullahiri25 2 жыл бұрын

Sample Rate wasn’t mentioned in any of these DACs, I thought that’s the most important functionality. I wish if you make another video of DACs comparisons price vs quality. Thanks 🙏🏼

@GuitarSpotTV Жыл бұрын

Apple would win...

@edisonantony7582 2 жыл бұрын

TOPPING DX3PRO+ USB DAC QCC5125 Bluetooth 5.0 CSS ES9038Q2M XMOS XU208 DSD512 APTX-HD Headphone Output AMP LDAC DX3 PRO. will you please review this item.

@johnhogg9756 2 жыл бұрын

Do like my DAC. Old school. Pink triangle Da-capo (HDCD filter), spdif and clock lock input cards. Full DC psu in separate box. I use it clock locked to a Logitech Transporter in my LMS setup. One of few dac’s that doesn’t use an off the shelf dac chip but actually relies on a 1bit discrete circuit to fulfill DAC duties. It may not be best any more in all areas but still one of the most solid and analogue sounding DAC’s ever produced. I do occasionally compare it to newer equipment but still haven’t found something to unseat it from my rack.

@robertosantos6147 2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting information. Loved the interruptions, time runs Fast so enjoy your time with your kids!

@mvv1408 2 жыл бұрын

E30 harsh 🤨? Is that the version with the AKM or the Cirrus Logic receiver chip? Imho the E30 / AKM is not harsh at all, quite the opposite...

@tabithamaydavis5792 2 жыл бұрын

You know, got “nuutttin’ but luv” fer ya, but I’m not feelin’ your show this time. Here’s the deal: Y’a said the ratings were based on value, BUT you from time to time seamed to base a resting on quality of sound. So for me things got a bit muddled. Recommendation: Do two ratings. One on value, AND one on sheer sound quality regardless of value. That would be helpful. Just suggestin’

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

It was value for the sound. If that makes sense.

@tabithamaydavis5792 2 жыл бұрын

Got it, but your show is all about value for sound, so what you review is by definition “value” equipment. So if you did just a rating on sound from the list of value equipment you already work with, what would that list look like?, what would the ratings look like? I suspect it would look different. Would love to see that rating. But hay, got NBL (Nuttin’-But-Luv) for your YT channel!

@christophernoto 2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman Maybe you could include the explicit rating of each item in one of these Tier Lists on two variables: Audio Quality and Price. If each was rated on a similar scale, say “Zero to Ten,” then you could put that scale on the X and Y axes and drag each item’s chart icon to its spot, as you discuss how you came to your judgment on the particular item. What do you think?

@tabithamaydavis5792 2 жыл бұрын

@@christophernoto you r onto something…but the struggle is the limitations of an X / Y structure. Maybe… X (vertical) = List of equipment (DAC) Y (horizontal) = Rating 1 (value) | Rating 2 (sound quality) S1 = High sound quality V1 = High value quality Eqpmt. V1 S1 V2 S2 V3 S3 DAC1. X. X DAC2. X. X DAC3. X. X DAC4. X. X Just an idea….

@tabithamaydavis5792 2 жыл бұрын

Also…you could put the pic’s of the DAC’s under the equipment column

@edhirxtrastrange 2 жыл бұрын

Very surprised where you put Topping E30. I bought the stack after watching a few reviews including yours

@editorjuno 2 жыл бұрын

I just got my E30 and I agree that Randy dropped the ball. It's right up there with best, with a very low noise floor and near-zero distortion compared to my Behringer UMC202HD's perfectly adequate DAC section -- and I paid only $125 via Drop.

@madsfrancke6538 2 жыл бұрын

I am a bit confused. In his E30 test, he said it was very good. Now later, it is harsh and fatiguing. Where did this all change so suddenly? Randy, did you talk about another Topping Dac in this video?

@JPWinters 2 жыл бұрын

E30 made the AVR DAC sound like crap. Good value. But I'm using Bifrost 2 now. Worth the upgrade.

@Thee_Jadex 2 жыл бұрын

Did Josh dirty wit that one, that sounds so freaking personal

@123456789million 2 жыл бұрын

I’m so happy you didn’t edit out your child interrupting. It was cute and wholesome.

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate that. Try to keep it real over here. Most of us are just normal folks with normal interruptions.

@kitussan Жыл бұрын

I own a Cambridge CXA61 that has a built in DAC ES9010K2. The sound the system produces however is not as clean as I would have hoped for, when I bought it. I decided to take the Topping E50 and tested it the integrated experience for a few days. Today I did an A/B audition and decided to return the E50; at least I could not notice a big difference.

@elkinavila 2 жыл бұрын

Great video Randy! Lots of substance and information and still fun! Keep on mate!

@kyron42 2 жыл бұрын

Yes DACs can sound different and some have a connection to nature. Last time I saw an E50 in a review it had an ant on it.

@soulshinobi 2 жыл бұрын

I like it when you take a minute for your kids, it's wholesome

@colinwilby8803 2 жыл бұрын

DACs are subjective but you should be more consistent. For example The Topping D90SE has all the connectivity you could wish for, sounds great, can act a a good preamp and is dead quiet. It is expensive but is not an F in any way. I I have the D70S and for me it is better than the D90SE and an easy S Tier and would be one if not the best on this list.

@cheapaudioman 2 жыл бұрын

I didn't have the D70 but that would have been great to compare.

@colinwilby8803 2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman If you can try the D70S for me it was better the D90 equivalent. The soundstage is bigger, more holographic and it has slightly more output if using as a pre-amp. With the myriad of inputs, single and balanced outputs I have not tried a better DAC at its price point.

@mattmateo5730 2 жыл бұрын

@@colinwilby8803 agree! d70s is awesome very natural yet very precise as well.

@SatanDynastyKiller 2 жыл бұрын

Butt hurt comment.

@colinwilby8803 2 жыл бұрын

@@SatanDynastyKiller Maybe you should explain yourself, rather than make a meaningless statement.

@1959ludo 2 жыл бұрын

I can understand why one buy a separate DAC in one case and that’s when you listen music from your computer ore tablet ore smartphone. I use a audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt for that purpose. But in the midrange price point (between 500 to 2 500 US dollars for a complete setI never use a separate DAC just because you can’t hear the difference. I can understand when you buy high end gear there can be a difference but than only when your listening room has a good acoustic. For me having a separate DAC is at this moment a hype. Greetings, Ludo

@BeamMonsterZeus 2 жыл бұрын

Here I am just getting into serious amplified music, both in listening and recording. I know next to nothing about professional setups. I'm coming fresh off of "plugging it in 101" and am fascinated that there's a tier list for this kind of thing. Thank you kindly.