Arcam rDAC

This is one of the best affordable DACs for less than $500. It's an ideal DAC for someone who wants to add Computer music playback to an existing Hi-Fi system. There are many DACs that cost five to ten times as much but this one is very good at this price point.

I connected the USB output from my Mac Mini to the USB input of the rDAC. Running Amarra HiFi through and playing a mixture of different audio files (96 kHz 24 bit, 88.2 kHz 24 bit, 48 kHz 24 bit, 44.1 kHz 24 bit, 44.1 kHz 16 bit) resulted in transparent switching of sample rates, immediate syncing between the Mac mini and the rDAC and beautiful transparent sound.

Using a Musical Fidelity A3 CD Player's Coaxial Digital Output connected to the Coax input of the rDAC allowed for a direct A/B comparison between the Musical Fidelity's analog output and the rDAC output via switching the preamplifier from CD to Aux. Sound quality in both cases was exceptionally good.

The rDAC model I used was not equipped with the Wireless functionality so I could not test this.

I highly recommend this DAC especially when used with the USB and/or the Coax input.