CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

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Author Topic: Pioneer launches U-05 High-End USB-DAC/Headphone Amplifier  (Read 5808 times)

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ultrabike

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Re: Pioneer launches U-05 High-End USB-DAC/Headphone Amplifier
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2014, 04:39:22 PM »
Yep. Consider even the el-semi-cheapo (~$90) Xonar U7: http://www.asus.com/us/Sound_Cards/Xonar_U7/specifications/ (which is also an ADC BTW)

Even these guys use two separate DACs for 7.1 ( 8 ) channel and 2 channel applications. They used the Cirrus 2-channel flagship DAC for 2 channel, and a separte decent 8 channel DAC for the rest of the channels, proly because unlike the U-05, the U7 IS a 7.1 DAC. Still unsure why the U-05 uses the 8 channel solution since I don't think it does 5.1 or 7.1.

The kitchen sink input # is not a bad thing if the real state requirements are relaxed.
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ohm-image

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Re: Pioneer launches U-05 High-End USB-DAC/Headphone Amplifier
« Reply #21 on: July 23, 2015, 12:20:10 AM »
Quote from: Hroðulf on November 28, 2014, 07:36:56 AM
That 900 euro price doesn't taste that sweet. A similar product from Marantz costs around 600 - 700. But yeah, now only Yamaha needs to dip its toes.

It goes for a little over 650$ USD here in Japan. 900 euro is quite steep.
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Dr Pan K

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Re: Pioneer launches U-05 High-End USB-DAC/Headphone Amplifier
« Reply #22 on: July 23, 2015, 09:49:10 AM »
Actually I have tested both the Pioneer and the Marantz dac with the Pioneer being easily better in just about every possible way. Both units are well built with shieleded transformers and linear power supplies but the Marantz uses antiquated (in a bad way, low detail retrieval, rolled off freq response) dac chips while the Pioneer has a pair of ESS 9016 which sound almost good. Not a great fan of ΔΣ dacs but this is not bad for the money. In Europe both units cost about the same, 800€ or so.

Out of the two I would reccomend the Pioneer but on the same price bracket my choice is the Aune S16(which I bought as a secondary dac)
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