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grumpy1471
88
Dec 9, 2014
This seems like such a good deal. I currently have AKG K712s and ATH-M50s as well as several IEMs. Right now, I'm using a Schiit Vali to run my AKGs. Should I even bother with this DAC? It has the optical and RCA inputs that I need for both my Mixamp for console gaming and my sound card. Not sure about the 1Ohm option as I have so many low impedance IEMs.
Edit: Oh and spending $400 on this seems like it wouldn't be too worth it given the fact that my most expensive cans are the same price. Then again, the AKGs are known to scale quite nicely to better amps and DACs.
RShack
180
Dec 9, 2014
grumpy1471I have no idea what's best for you. I do know that the Schiit Vali apparently is a good cheap amp. But it's nothing like the amp in this thing. Plus, this thing is also a great dac. So, this would be a major step up from what you have, and would certainly pay benefits with your AKG. You'll be getting a whole lot for your money, but whether you want to do that upgrade is something only you can answer.
As for your low impedance IEM's, exactly how low impedance are they? It's my understanding that there's no point in even thinking about the 1-ohm option because of low impedance phones until they get below 25 ohms... and even then it's still debatable how much benefit it will give you. The 1-ohm option also makes the sound more clinical and less warm. Maybe you'd like that or maybe you wouldn't, beats me. The folks who make it think most people will like the sound of the std 10-ohm version better.
grumpy1471
88
Dec 9, 2014
RShackMy lowest IEMs are 16-Ohms. Not sure if I'd ever really need to use IEMs on the amp but my issue is mainly with the noise floor. I have a very audible hiss when I use anything other than my K712s on my Vali. The lowest output with the Vali is 6.5-Ohms so not too sure as to whether the CEntrance would be too high with the 10-ohm variant. I'm looking for more of a jack of all trades type DAC/Amp and this seems good given that it has USB, Optical and RCA inputs.
RShack
180
Dec 9, 2014
grumpy1471About the hiss and noise... here's a link to a review of this thing. http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/dacs/dacs-reviews/centrance-dacmini-usb-dac.html
On page 2, the reviewer quotes the head of this company saying there is no noise at all, that it is "pitch black"... then, after the reviewer listened to it for a while, on page 4 he says, yep, he's right, it is pitch black, there is no noise at all.
grumpy1471
88
Dec 9, 2014
RShackThat's good to hear! The hiss with my M50s is way too high to be bearable when I use my Vali. Same thing for my IEMs. I may have to get in on this drop. I need a more than adequate DAC for sure as it's my current bottleneck in my chain (my soundcard). My soundcard has an optical out so I can bypass the DAC there.
RShack
180
Dec 9, 2014
grumpy1471Soundcard on your computer? If so, just use the USB and forget the soundcard altogether.
One the best things about the DACmini is that you just plug it into the USB. It's even better via USB than it is via optical. (The guy in that review wondered if it sounded better via USB, since the minor nits he picked were via toslink... the people at the company say elsewhere that it's true... something about them having more ability to control jitter that way... or something like that).
grumpy1471
88
Dec 9, 2014
RShackYep my computer sound card is an external one so it's connected by USB. My main reason for using a sound card is that I game a lot so I use it as a DSP for virtual surround. If I end up opting in, I will probably end up plugging the DACmini into both my soundcard by optical and my PC by USB and switch depending on whether I'm gaming or listening to music.
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