New computer source on the cheap?

Well my EMU 0404 is giving me problems, and if I cant fix it i am going to need a decent source for the PC on the cheap - and no i cant just go with a cd player because i am now using my pc as my music, dvd and tv source.

I am thinking a dac is probably the way to go, and i'm thinking USB DAC. I've seen the headroom microdac, but thats nearly 200 quid and i could do with it being cheaper, even though it is apparently very good anyway.

Perhaps a NOS DAC is the way to go? But then i'll need a cheap way of getting a digital signal to it. Cheap old terratec soundcard will do that job.

Now is the NOS DAC the only decent cheap DAC? Also it would help if it was small as i dont have a lot of room.

 

The superdac and DACmagic are other decent cheap DACs. It's a question of what flexibility you need. Bear in mind that the NOS only accepts Coax input, while many soundcards only give optical output. As I've said before, due to the huge amounts of RF generated by computers I am loath to provide an electrical connection to hifi gear, so would go optical.

 

Thanks mate, although having had a dacmagic before and finding my old terratec was an improvement on it i dont think i'd get one of those, especially since i have access to my mates old terratec which i could use for time being.

i get the impression this is going to be yet another expensive month.

 

Well, since you seemed to think highly of the AKM dacs on the output of the EMU, why not go for the superDAC which uses the 4393 and can be upgraded to the 4395?

 

I could do i guess... although i thought the superdacs were now no longer made?

 

www.makingwavesaudio.co.uk still list it.

 

Or get a Behringer DEQ2496 which has the same DAC's as the superDAC and you get digital room correction as well. It's not much more expensive and sounds great I use it as my main DAC, but I think I should get a better one for my next upgrade but I have to say it doesn't show itself up as lacking even through close to £4,000 monitor speakers.

 

Could do, i always did fancy one of those behringer things, but they look a bit big?

 

I've found the DEQ's output to be rather disappointing compared to the superDAC, but I dare say with some judicious modding it could be brought up to speed somewhat.