I have my eyes on the new ProJect Dac Box DSII Ultra. Released in Europe but I haven't seen in the US although it is on the ProJect USA web site. AK4490 chip. 1 x USB, 3 x optical and 2x coax inputs.
Three sound modes:
1) Upsamples all PCM to either 705 or 768 kHz, and all DSD inputs to 256 MHz (4x DSD)
2) Converts all PCM to DSD, either 2x or 4x depending on incoming sample rate, and all DSD to 4x DSD.
3) No upsampling for USB inputs. Spdif upsampled to 384 or 352 kHz. "DSD input format remains the same as DSD output format" - I'm pretty sure that means that the incomin DSD STAYS DSD throughout the entire process. Unlike the Sabre dacs that take all of the incoming streams, DSD or not, and converts them to some sort of 6 bit DSD type of thing before stitching it all back together. How's that for precise terminology!!
Most of the above sound modes have the option to toggle between 5 different digital filters.
Should be $800. It'll fit perfectly with my multiple Rasby Pis and HQPLayer upsampling to either 768K or 4x DSD. Yummm
Problem is that my brother is a dealer for BOTH Oppo and ProJect so I can choose either and get the family discount.
Might have to have a little DAC-off here some-day...
I'm surprised that this little DAC has gotten very little press so far.
Yes, DACs are getting cheaper and better by the second, and becoming yesterday's news just as fast.
-Mike