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DiscoMuffin
6
Aug 20, 2016
Here I was thinking this thing would be great, i Love the looks, the size, and build quality and it's been something i've had my eye on; but if it doesn't perform like i've been reading, then it isn't worth it.
I wish some over manufacturer made a compact powerful enough DAC/amp/receiver combo with sub out
caledonius
23
Aug 21, 2016
DiscoMuffinI'm not sure why this isn't getting much love here. I purchased one of these through Amazon like a year and a half ago. It has been my PC dac/amp ever since. I have never had any problems with it. The build quality is fantastic and the drivers are pretty solid too. Bluetooth works well. I have chromecast audio hooked up to it as well. I bounce around between USB, BT, and Line in pretty regularly. It has a sub out that I don't use. I don't have to because my computer speakers give me enough bass for what I need. I NEVER turn this up past 50% because its load as shit. It might not drive towers but if all you want is to run some bookshelf then it is plenty powerful.
This may not be the absolute top of the line, be all and end all, in the audiophile department but it is an incredibly competent dac/amp. I have no idea what darwin is on about with his Onkyo > Teac comments. Just Google "Wolfson WM8718 vs BurrBrown PCM 1795" and you will find 100 people saying the Wolfson is better and another 100 people saying the BurrBrown is better.
TheCryingGame
9
Aug 22, 2016
caledoniusTo me, the biggest deal-breaker is the low power for the headphone out (100mV per channel) as I really wanted this to be an all-in-one box for my PC audio setup. Since you own it, could you comment on if you've used headphones with it and/or your thoughts?
YCWang
4
Aug 22, 2016
caledoniusFrom the popularity of the previously dropped AI-101DA (and UD-301,) the community seems somehow more focusing on headphone systems, where AI-101DA and UD-301 would overshadow AI-301DA in terms of price or performance. Even for desktop speaker systems, AI-301DA locates in a awkward product position that AI-101DA already provides enough power and UD-301 as a DAC is more suitable for audiophiles who need balanced output or want to choose their pre/power amp separately.
Moreover, this drop comes WAY TOO LATE. The popular AI-101DA was released in mid-2015 and started getting drops from early 2016. On the contrary AI-301DA was released in mid-2014 and gets its first drop now in August 2016. I would say people who want AI-301DA already bought one or a AI-101DA. Although I personally love my AI-301DA for my living room audio system, it is not surprising to see the drop comes out empty. It is just too late.
caledonius
23
Aug 23, 2016
TheCryingGameI can see your point. I did run my HD 600's through this for a while but now I have them at work and use a Schitt Magni 2 Uber to power them now. I don't recall ever thinking it was under powered, but it was a while ago (like a year) so take it with a grain of salt.
caledonius
23
Aug 23, 2016
YCWangI can see what you mean by the timing not being right. For that reason I understand why its not selling. But I also completely see how you are using this as a living room setup. If I didn't have an Onkyo receiver in the living room I would think pretty hard about using this in the living room. I think the 301DA would be an awesome, if too expensive, soundbar killer.
Uzuzu
1431
Aug 24, 2016
TheCryingGamehas nothing to do with dac, well, perhaps a very tiny bit, but mostly do to its implementation. I'd much rather own an Onkyo receiver.
Billqs
32
Nov 15, 2016
DiscoMuffinIf I hadn't gone with Active Speakers when redesigning my PC Sound, I might have gone this way, though it doesn't provide nearly the power of my Violectric V200.
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