ODAC Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by Everyday45, Apr 29, 2017.

  1. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Wow, that was a quick u-turn.

    Either suck it up buttercup, or leave permanently like you said you would.
     
  2. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    Has anyone who's said that on here ever kept their promise?
     
  3. take

    take Friend

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    If somebody here is commenting on how a DAC sounds, you can look up their past posts and/or their gear list on their profile page to see gear that they own, have owned, and have tried. You could also ask for comparisons in the thread. Saying there's no evidence that anybody has tried anything else is just lazy.

    Now, if you go to somewhere like /r/headphones, you'll get people who buy their first ever setup and post a "review." That's fine and it's interesting to hear what somebody thinks when they're new to all of this, but usually they'll explicitly state that this is their first setup and what they've upgraded from (probably a motherboard's built-in audio). Otherwise, it would be safer to assume that everyone commenting on how something sounds has heard other gear in the past.
     
  4. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    Well I have heard JDS Lab's most recent DAC and I whole heartedly recommend the Modi 2U and Modi Multibit over it. So there ya go @Everyday45.
     
  5. winders

    winders boomer

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    Kind of like all of those Hollywood types that said they would leave the country if Trump were elected?
     
  6. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    It's a failure then, which is shame. But if you think we didn't try, you are severely misguided. Some people do strike a wrong note here and get given a very hard time. Actually, you got treated quite nicely. Never mind, I'm sure there are places on the net where you can go and discuss what a horrible place SBAF is. And some of them will be right about some things, but hey, we are what we are.

    There you go. Still being given good advice despite all.

    Time for this thread to go to HTWFAIP?
     
  7. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

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    I bought Modi Multibit a couple of months ago and I was able to compare it it to JDS Labs ODAC. Modi Multibit was better sounding to me. But I love JDS Labs old C5 little headphone amp.
     
  8. trl

    trl Acquaintance

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    Hi,

    ODAC is one of the cheapest entry-level DACs ever. I own it for some time, connected to the O2 headamp and its sound is neutral, perhaps a bit on the analytical side. For its price I can recommend it.

    I don't own the newest OL version, but most reviews tend to place it on pair or even a bit above the old ODAC, so you can give it a try I guess.

    Anyway, Modi might be a better performer, so A/B testing both prior to your final purchase would probably be wiser.

    BTW, in the 150 EUR are I can also recommend you the ROLAND UA-M10 DAC & balanced headamp combo. Very neutral sound, especially if used on > 32 ohms headphones.
     
  9. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    TBH, the ODAC @ $100 barebones and $150 with a case is not cheap. Specially given the lack of features, functionality and market differentiation. But YMMV.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2017
  10. trl

    trl Acquaintance

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    You are right, it's not very cheap, but getting it instead as a DAC/headamp combo could save some money, especially if purchased as a kit for DIY.
     
  11. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    If you want the absolute best bang for the buck, I think the Fiio D3 that could be had for like $30 plus a cmoy that you can build with less than $50 worth of parts (this is assuming really good op amps to go along with the amp), and some cheapo USB -> Coax converter that you can randomly get on eBay for around $20 would probably be the best value. Hell, that's cheaper than the ODAC alone.

    A properly built cmoy is not that hard either. If you know you ain't gonna use it portably, just use a DC adapter with lots of power delivery and then replace the resistors in the power supply circuit (there are only 2 of 'em) with much lower values. That's it. You've just fixed the cmoy's most major issue, and the only other consideration is to heatsink the resistors. A cmoy in that configuration has much less parts in the signal path than O2, so you're getting much less noise and other stuffs.

    Heck, if your budget still allows for an additional $150 to be spent, then spend those on really nice capacitors to replace the ones in the input stage of cmoy. Again, major improvement (it's measurable, too), and still much less things in the signal path than O2. If you're hung up on measurements, I think it'll be very interesting (and revealing) when you measure a cmoy built that way against an O2.

    ^ there's a good way to spend $250 if you don't want to go the Schiit route. And that's also a prime example of how not all of us here will blindly recommend the Schiit stack as the best thing on a budget.

    But for those who don't want to go the DIY route, the Schiit stack is a reasonably well-engineered combo that's hard to beat unless you know your DIY stuffs really really really well, and even then, you're still wasting time doing something other than enjoying music.
     
  12. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    Not true. A vanilla Modi is 100$, with a case. If measurements you're after at the cheapest price-point, the ODAC stands no chance. You can go lower still, though. A Fulla 2 comes with both DAC and headamp at a measly 100$ price-point. If measurements is what you're after, then the ODAC + O2 is in deep, deep trouble.

    Not possible. The ODAC was marketed as the bestest possible evah, cause measurements. All else sounds the same as an ODAC. Conversely, you cannot have something betterer than the ODAC.
     
  13. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    If you're doing all that, you might as well just get a Schiit Fulla 1 or 2, or an Audioquest Dragonfly, or FiiO e10 or 17, etc.
     
  14. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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    If it matters, I had the Element from JDS, which basically uses the O2 DAC. It was built nicely, had a nice knob, JDS customer service was really really good, etc but I didnt hear any advantage using it over my Macbook's headphone out. It had a lot more power but not much else. Eventually I stopped plugging my headphones into it and was only using it for the RCA connections at the back for my speakers.

    I compared it against a Bifrost Multibit once, and using the HD650M, you could hear a noticeable improvement with the Bifrost Multibit. This was during the start of my journey into good audio, when I refused to believe that DACs sounded different (or that a DAC was even needed, based on my experience with the Element). I now know better and can hear differences between sources a lot better. Since the Bifrost Multibit is more expensive I wont even bother putting into words a comparison between the two, but in short the schiit stuff was better in every way, except maybe that you needed to warm it up.

    I also got a GOV2A about 6 months ago and realised it did a better job in presenting detail, not sounding dull/bland like the Element while being a fraction of the size. I heard more separation between instruments as well. Needless to say I put the Element away in its box and eventually sold it.

    I dont have a ton of experience with DACs, I've heard 4 external units in total so I wont go around throwing out recommendations but I definitely would not suggest anything based on the O2 unless you want to waste some money selling it some months later for a lower price. You honestly rather take that money and donate it to a kid in a third world country, atleast you'd smile thinking about it.

    EDIT: I began writing a comment because nobody spoke much about the O2 sonically, but I realise now (after looking over my post and realising I didnt have too much to say) that while some things are good, some bad and they light a fire in you to write about them, the O2 stuff just feels quite uninspiring to even write about. Doesnt surprise me now that nobody bothered writing about it much
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2017
  15. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    They take away a part of the fun. :p

    And arguably, you can only squeeze so much out of poor ol' USB ports, lest you've got a computer that fully complies with USB power specs, which is still surprisingly rare nowadays.

    Fiio E17 is a valid option though, but can it match ODAC?
     
  16. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Considering the new influx of members and the high possibility of reoccurring questions concerning the ODAC and its variants, I have moved this thread to the Advice subforum and renamed it accordingly. Carry on.
     
  17. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    1. See title change;
    2. See that it is now in "advice threads" subforum;
    3. Think "wtf? when did we get a whole 'advice threads' subforum, this seems like a dangerous pit of potential despair";
    4. Click to the "advice threads" subforum;
    5. Laugh uncontrollably.
     
  18. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    6. Hope the new members understand how to use the search function...
     
  19. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    On StackExchange, when a question has been asked in the past, mods simply mark it as "duplicate" and point the OP to the question with existing answers. The SBAF equivalent would be for a mod to point to an existing thread on the same topic (e.g. ODAC), and close the OP's thread.
     
  20. imackler

    imackler Key Lime Pie Infected Aberdeen Wings Spy

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    Thank you. My afternoon needed this pick me up.
     

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