$50 DAC with swappable opamps paired with WIIM MINI run through WOPL 400 and PL3300 preamp.

Sunnbobb

Sunnbobb

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Mount Vernon, WA
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Bikes, baseball and big amps.
I acquired a Neohippo DC10 DAC for around $50 new. It has an impressive quality case, and the sound with the stock ESS 9038Q2N Opamps is quite good. The stock opamps are socketed, so I went ahead and rolled in a set of three Texas Instruments OPA1656 DIP8 opamps for around $20.

I connected the DC10 to a WiiM Mini, and ran some tunes from Tidal. AlI can say is WOW. The sound with the new opamps is worlds ahead of the stock opamps, and better than any opamp I've been able to afford. The WOPL 400 loves this ccombonation.

I got the idea from this video:

op1.jpgop2.jpg
 
I have been running exclusively Schiit DAC's. The cheap ones too. Modi, Modi 2, Modius. I do not think I have ever ran any DAC that cost over 150.00 and probably not even that much not thinking that I could really hear any difference anyhow. Recently I started thinking (and down the rabbit hole we go) that I have tons of gear and have no clue what anything would sound like with anything other than Shiit! Kinda peering around on M.P. I saw a little FiiO K 11 RtR that came recommended by quite a few over the net for 115.00 from a guy that I could tell really took great care of his equipment. It was like new. Box, cables, instructions, power adapter, all like new. Not even a bit of dust in a crevice. I like it. It does sound diferent. more than I expected diferent. I like it. It has the two settings for over sampling or whatever (Resistor to Resistor) set up. I am glad I bought it. It has a nice headphone amp built in and way, way more red green blue and all kinds of flashing bright to low light settings on it that I as an adult do not care for whatever but can be turned off thank god but the unit is weighty and well built as can be. Has plenty of outs and ins. Its very, very nice for the money its actually hard for me to beleive. I have used it with the Jolida with the KT 88's and the Klipsch KG 3.2's I restored and with the Aragon with the B&K Ref. 4420 and Polk SDA 2B's that have been Modded to the hilt and I am impressed. I would not at all mind buying one of the units you have and trying diferent DAC's at this point. I say at least some of them do have a diferent sound in my system.
 
Hell I ain't advertising or anything here but shit this fucker ain't but 39.99 on Amazon right now. You know I ordered one.
Look what Audio Science Review had to say about it.
www.audiosciencereview.com

NEOHIPO DC10 Stereo DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the NEOHIPO DC10 budget stereo DAC. It was sent to me by the company and is on sale for US $48. Suggested retail price is $80. The two switches feel solid and frankly all that is needed in a simple DAC. Back panel follows the same rule: Let's...
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com
No brainer.
 
@Sunnbobb, have you tried this with a computer? If so what OS? Win 11 reports it as an SPDIF input and it spits and sputters like an old hit and miss.
Edit: I should have been more detailed. I used a USB cable with the unit switched to USB on the front as per the directions. Looked for drivers on the net but all I see about it is that Win11 should load the correct driver automatically. I hate Win11 but that is a different discussion I suppose.
 
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Another source you would recommend? Looking at getting those OPA1656. I figured they all were going to come from there anyhow. I know the ones in it are from there or would assume so. I am not going to hear one damn bit of deference between the stock ones and the other ones anyway I just wanted to have something to fuck around with on it. I would spend my time better by making up some more interconnects to be honest. Just lazy I guess.
 
2nd place I tried for them. Mouser no luck. Digikey had them but not mounted in the standoff... Also what about an update. Crazy shit. Tried an optical cable and set the device accordingly. For some reason I cannot get my old audio card (PCI) to work in the optical mode but the Win11 reported that I still had a "SPDIF Interface (NEOHIPO DC10)" output device so I decided to turn everything off, well the amplifier and power to the DC10 device and try the USB input again. Guess who has no hit and miss sound now. It plays beautifully now. Only thing I can figure is that when I was trying to set it up for the old audio card I somehow configured drivers that it liked better. Damn thing sounds real nice. Tracy Chapman playing now. Boz Skaggs just before and in a bit Bowie. If I had to describe what I hear it would be just plain ole clean rounded sound. Just the way I like to listen. No sharp sounding mids or highs, tight firm bass.
 
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J!m said:
I personally would not buy op amps from Ali Express...
Click to expand...

You are being generous!

I wouldn't even take them for free from Ali ("The land of offshore junk and counterfeits") Express.

Not even a bag of dog crap . . .
 
Yep, Jim was being nice. What is your solution? Where to buy op amps for a 39.95 DAC? After listening to it I don't really see where it need any other ones but what the hell.
 
Yeah, I could find the mounting part I am sure. And soldering it in I could easily do. Just feel like that's too much to worry with on a 39.95 DAC. I think I will stay with whats in it. Shit it sounds just fine as is. If I do try them once they arrive I will check for DC on the outputs and check back in.
 
All the DAC is, is converters, op amps and power supply. Th analogue sound passes through those op amps, not unlike the fancy beer can capacitors with unicorn hair insulation inside.
 
All I was hoping for was horse hair. I got three or four of them to listen too now. I ain't got 250.00 in the lot. they all sound good to me. Ain't none good enough for listening to in my oxygen free room though. HA!
 
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I guess the way it's going if I don't learn to solder SMD to adapters and such I ain't gonna be working on about Jack shit soon anyway. Thanks for the link.
 
VSAT88 said:
I guess the way it's going if I don't learn to solder SMD to adapters and such I ain't gonna be working on about Jack shit soon anyway. Thanks for the link.
Click to expand...

Very true on the SMD.

Hows the tri-amp experience go?ing
 
I ain't messed with it yet. My state ain't been all that great and rentals been down needing repairs plus cars/trucks Lee. Messing around with small stuff like this is all. Both Ashley's are still sitting here right next to me in the office eyeballing me every day saying what's up with you dude?
 
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