This DAC kind of Rocks! Aune S9c digital to analog converter review

Aune S9c Pro amzn.to/3N8ZjTw
Aune Store bit.ly/3T2lJcM
check out my other channel / channel
Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com
Support the Channel! Shop on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK
Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt
Join the best hifi community out there! / cheapaudioman
TRY ROON
Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF
Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt
Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH
amzn.to/3GkNaop
CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
Tidal Deal bit.ly/3fQvNkq
www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
High Res Music Streaming for FREE!!!!
Amazon Music Unlimited Free Trial amzn.to/3fiiMPC
Test Track Playlist:
music.amazon.com/user-playlis...
Satanic Panic Playlist:
music.amazon.com/user-playlis...
Leg Warmers Playlist
music.amazon.com/user-playlis...
cheapaudioman
If you click on this link and sign up for a free trial I will receive a small referral fee.
If you use any of my links to purchase products I will receive a small commission on the sale of that item. Won’t cost you any more to purchase with the link.
Recommended Streamer
WIIM Mini amzn.to/33CL99w
Bluesound Node shop-links.co/cgGiqJ2UFIO
Recommended Speaker List
Around $100 (These prices will fluctuate between $75 - $150)
Sony SSCS5 - Lively amzn.to/3pZNnGk
Neumi BS5 -Neutral amzn.to/3q0SR3B
Elac BS41 amzn.to/3SBmEgq
Around $200
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Jamo Concert howl.me/cf295uVQJA0
Elac Debut b5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/2WPNQxw
JBL Stage A130 - Neutral/Great All Arounder at $179 the best value amzn.to/3t7gOHe
Around $400
Emotiva B2+ emotiva.com?aff=9
Jamo C93ii Bit - Boosted on Top howl.me/cf295uVQJA0
Q Acoustics 3030i - Neutral with Punch - amzn.to/2OQkpLo
Around $500
SVS Prime bit.ly/2LozJgF
Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 bit.ly/2ZckoD9
Wharfedale Denton 80th amzn.to/3Sv8RIq
Around $600
Elac Uni-Fi UB5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/3s3srPG
Elac Debut Reference - Buttery but Detailed amzn.to/39bt6WC
Polk Reserve R100/200 howl.me/cf29UeQAWsD
Aperion Novus - Neutral and probably the best desktop speaker one can get $599 bit.ly/2Q1H9rW
Aperion Novus Open Box $449 bit.ly/3us8zGx
Wharfedale Diamonds Lush and Detailed amzn.to/3aBAso0 Come as singles
Recommended Amp List
Under $100
Aiyima A07 - Neutral and Full amzn.to/3g9YLNf
Fosi Audio V3 - Extremely Clean - Audiophile Sound (Best Amp under $250) amzn.to/3rhrpDL
Fosi Audio TB10D amzn.to/43cJtwh
Fosi Audio BT20a Pro amzn.to/3r8pgdH
Around $130
Aiyima T9 amzn.to/3F8eOb6
Around $250
SMSL DA-9 Balanced Amp amzn.to/34SdbLs
Around $400
Emotiva TA1 - DAC, Phono Stage, Pre Outs - Balanced and Tasty emotiva.com?aff=9
Recommended DACs
Geshelli Labs J2 geshelli.com/product/jnog2/
SMSL SU8s amzn.to/2SWTGiw
Denafrips Ares 2 www.denafrips.com/ares
Subs
Emotiva SE8 emotiva.com?aff=9
Emotiva SE12 emotiva.com?aff=9
SVS SB1000 Pro bit.ly/3scmwsc

[@cheapaudioman]

Aune S9c Pro amzn.to/3N8ZjTw Aune Store bit.ly/3T2lJcM check out my other channel www.youtube.com/@cheapwatchman_official Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com Support the Channel! Shop on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman TRY ROON www.rofjdjk3ns.com/33G977/2CTPL/ Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5

[@ufopulse]

Aune's magic is in its analog output stage... they make really realy good stuff! I am saving up for their descrete headphone amp the S17

[@robertgruber982]

You should check out the Aune X8 Magic dac with a Sparkos SS3602 op amp upgrade. Aune gives you a couple of OP amps with the dac as well as a tool for swapping them out which is cool in and of itself. Add the Sparkos and it can compete with much more pricey dacs. Need to put on bigger feet to accommodate the Sparkos chip but it's a great little DAC for $400-500 including the upgrade depending on if you can snag it on sale. I actually got the DAC on sale for $240 without bluetooth (there are two versions) and I think the Sparkos chip was about $70 so closer to $300 if you get time it right.

[@o_krush67]

Bargain on Pi day had it for $218...with the BT. So 300 all in with the Sparkos. IT sounded great before but oh wow..... I found some small rubber cups. Since it stays stationary just stand on those and kept original feet. $3.00

[@kennethmccullough1342]

I completely agree! It sounds amazing. With the Sparkos it’s approaching the Ares II imo. Such an underrated piece of gear. I had the original but just bought the BT version with the Amazon Black Friday deals. I also used aftermarket triangular rubber feet to clear the Sparkos Opamp.

[@johncallaghan3097]

I agree. It's a sterling DAC with the Sparkos op amp upgrade -- just raise the DAC on something like small speaker spikes and secure a plastic cover (e.g. a section from a pill box) over the op amp so you can keep it the right way up. IMHO, It's even better with with Aune's own XP2 linear power supply and an iPurifier3 USB signal purifier. I think I'd have to move up to something like a Gustard A26 to better it. Not sure it would be worth it at almost three times the price, though.

[@dustind9242]

probably would have been a more apples-to-apples. Just wish it had a remote option for pre-amp situations.

[@bengleason508]

Thank you Randy

[@SMccrate01]

The Folger's Black Silk is really quite good! And much better priced than much of the packaged boutique stuff out there. While it's a dark roast, it tastes less "scorched" and more balanced, like a dark medium roast. Good call and shoutout to Folger's!

[@ethancushing3398]

I will push you to avoid any grocery store coffee, find yourself a good local roaster and get some fresh coffee

[@SMccrate01]

@@ethancushing3398 oh I know, and I have one! My morning coffee pusher gets her beans from a local roaster and I hand over my beans for her beans! There are a lot of reasons not to buy grocery store coffee, especially from the big food conglomerates. Buying from the local guy supports a chain of small business economies including fair trade source materials. Plus it's just much better java. All that being said, if you are a store aisle shopper on a budget, Black Silk is surprisingly good for what it is.

[@NosEL34]

I don't drink the Folgers because I'm a snob. But I know what you are talking about. You could whip up a fancy looking cup of Folgers Silk and fool a lot of coffee aficionados.

[@JR-ho5qm]

Well, I have been waiting patiently for more talk about Emotivas new XDA3 DAC. It was so hard not to purchase one on Black Friday lol! I’m glad I haven’t bit the bullet because I’m assuming the lack of talk on it means it’s not In Comparison with its competition. I really like having all matching gear. I’m seriously looking at the new Yamaha Nr2000a all in one.

[@joelcarson4602]

In years past, choosing a Power Supply for your gaming PC, one of the things you looked for, besides the rated output in watts, was "How heavy is PSU "A" versus PSU "B"? When doubt, choose the heaviest one. Still a good indicator even now if you're looking at budget PSUs for a non-gaming office PC.

[@noahsherman]

Others have mentioned it would have been nice to include the Emotiva XDA-3 in the comparison. I agree.

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

Just one question: How does it compare to the Emotiva XDA-3? Is the headphone amp worthwhile, or does the Archel beat it? Sorry, two questions. 😂😂 Thanks as always for your perspectives, efforts, and time sharing this product with us all.

[@valgallant5167]

Hi Randy, I have a question about the ifi zen. I have the Fluance RT83 hooked up to Kanto Y6 speakers. Would it be worth it to switch the speakers to line and use a preamp? Or is the internal n the Y6 alli need?

[@BrianHall-Oklahoma]

How does this compare to the Eversolo Dac Z8 or the dac in the Eversolo Dmp-A6? The Z8 also has a headphone amp and is about the same price. I have the Dmp-A6 in my living room setup and like the sound of the dac chips it uses (two ESS9038Q2M DAC chips). The Dmp-A6 is a great streamer with no headphone amp so I use the headphone amp built in to my receiver (ok sound, don't listen to headphones often). I also use the Dmp-A6 as a dac for my cd player. I've looked at the Z8, but it doesn't seem like it would be much of an improvement over than the dac in the A6.

[@chrisstudebaker7548]

Maxwell House "regular" for me...Great video and review - you have been working extra hard with vids every. single. day! Appreciate the informative entertainment! Still going to save up for that J3 with buttons.

[@ginom407]

Dark Roast drinker here, but I'll give Folgers a try. Great Review / Comparison. I'm sure the Aune would make me very happy. Thanks Randy! 👍👍👍

[@chungang7037]

Old post, but how was the Folgers? 😇

[@ufopulse]

i would like to know how it sounds/performs as a pre

[@IRON_PANDA]

Love the new metric for analyzing remotes... Is it swallowable?

[@damayor9559]

Outstanding as always Randy! Love your honesty when comparing the S9c to the J2 on both performance & price. I've seen a couple of other channels give the S9c glowing reviews and it's nice to see you agree. The S9c just made my shortlist for my next step up in the headphone DAC/amp world. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[@D1N02]

Ha I just ordered the headphone amp only of this. The S17 pro class A headphone amp/pre amp

[@pwnjones]

Heya Randy, just a heads-up that the link to your Amazon test track playlist says it's no longer available.

[@kaifa76]

Hope you tested it in Mode 2, the magic is all there

[@catdeddy8427]

Oxymoron: Folgers coffee 😎 All comedy aside, try Peet’s Big Bang.

[@matthewhilty4209]

The op amps are upgradable in the S9c (I think) , I would be curious to know if the Sparkos op-amps improved the sound.

[@syhi7971]

I thought the s9c has JFETs.

[@megatherium100]

please review the aune S17 pro class-a headphone amp mr. cheapaudioman

[@StefanEisenbeis]

Love watching your videos Randy! Also, I didn’t know you were related to Seth Rogan! Lol I mean that as a compliment 😎🥂

[@scottdahnke2409]

Where did you buy the LHY power supply from? @cheapaudioman

[@scottzahn3298]

Would love to know how Orchard Audio Pecan Pi+ compares to J2?

[@radiofreealbemuth]

Is there a reason to buy the antennae-less non-bluetooth version?

[@Jedi71]

I doubt CAM will ever say an ill word about Geshelli Labs.

[@coolnout3765]

It's like the sixth-greatest DAC he has promoted in the past two weeks.

[@marekkordzik7517]

I sold my Burson conductor 3r and will be getting another Burson or maybe will try something else . How would you compare it to Burson conductor 3r soundwise , I have 32 ohm lsa hp 2 headphines so all that extra power is not important to me rather then good dynamics and clean sound with strong bass ....

[@davidbartochowski7832]

I like the personal stories

[@henripelletier6619]

Your format is ideal for me

[@r423sdex]

Best dac ever !

[@AG-bp3ll]

A little pricey, but seems worth it if you will use all the features and want balanced output.

[@BoRerunn]

Would I be able to connect a streamer to the AUME ? Can I connect 2 different receivers using the XLR connections

[@DigitalDave65]

I have my WiiM Pro connected. Sounds fantastic. The XLR and RCA are outputs. To connect you would need to use the COAX, USB B, or OPT.

[@SlotHits777]

When you eval a pair of tower speakers .. which is the better experience: Vertical or Horizontal sound staging? Example .. the SVS Ultra Towers present a horizontal soundstage; whereas, Revel F36 Concerta2 present a vertical soundstage and both sound good, but in an A/B listening test its a dramatic difference

[@ufarkingicehole]

The one with the better Soundstage and instrument seperation

[@gregbailer8701]

Good video Randy. Eight O'Clock coffee is also cheap and tastes pretty decent. Appreciate the comparison to J2S. But the NEW Dayzee seems extra awesome. I reached out to Geshelli for pricing, lead time, etc. for the Dayzee a couple of days ago. Crickets...I guess that's what they meant by "slow-roll". Your thoughts on the (8) OP amps slots for Dayzee that will also handle the Sparkos Labs PRO SS2590 monsters from the pro recording world?

[@sherbears]

Hi. Check your spam. We answer all inquiries same day during weekdays. Thanks 😊

[@gregbailer8701]

@@sherbears I apologize, the response WAS in the spam folder. That has been corrected. It did seem odd as you appear to be great people in the videos. Will reach out in near future to discuss particular use case. Watching for the CAM review of Dayzee. Is that on the horizon?

[@sherbears]

Glad to hear you found it. Yes, it's on the horizon. We are currently frantically trying to source metal for the faceplates. Every waterjet company in Florida is backlogged. We're hoping to have them in soon.

[@Hornet844]

You should check out Tone 2 Pro Khadas DAC.

[@demibarton4271]

it is pronounced like "oh knee"

[@pjo1964]

Curvy curvy isnt good for stacking unless i put rubber feet between them.

[@stevezeidman7224]

Lotsa fun as usual, Randy. Don’t drop that on your toe!

[@TonkyTronicus]

Even if I got a small 10% increase in sound quality by switching to the Aune, +10% sound quality for -100% Mahogany is not a good trade in my book.

[@richarddussault8168]

hi cheapaudio man I live in a rv it pretty small and new to audio hifi I would like you do a review for a good hi fi system for small place like rv thank you sorry for my English I am French

[@kellanmackenzie5230]

Always Use Nice Equipment

[@thespotlightkid1011]

The Gishelle Dac is the best looker by far imo, the basic wood case & it's "tech on display" with shades, style makes all the other DACs i've seen in the $'range look samey & boring, like forms forced to follow their function, If i compared & chose the Auna for it's sound over the Gishelle, i'd be wishing the Gishelle won for looks alone

[@haydenbull6622]

Did i see a LHY linear power supply on the Wiim Pro? How does it improve the sound?

[@jkim4712]

I don't know about LHY LPS, but with I got one from AliExpress and I have modified the capacitors inside and replaced the USB power cable with a silver plated one. It made a big difference.

[@bruceevans3746]

@@jkim4712Which one did you purchase? Thanks

[@______4790]

I wonder if it sounds "better" than the ESS Sabre32 Ultra in my MOTU interface.

[@pjo1964]

Vs Ares 2 dac?

[@rahliE777]

question for those smarter than me- could i use this to connect a pair of active speakers (kali lp6 v2) and a powered subwoofer (klipsch synergy sub12) to my pc? the speakers have xlr inputs and the subwoofer has rca inputs (no rca outputs) and it also has a low pass filter.. im more wandering about the subwoofer and if connecting it via rca will work being it has a built in low pass filter

[@Bd-ox4mi]

Yes it’s a dac still ..with out puts on the back to send a signal to your active speakers and you still get a fantastic headphone amp too with dac 👍✌️

[@rahliE777]

@@Bd-ox4mi thanks for the reply! I figured it would work but I just wanted to be sure about the subwoofer before making the investment.. I appreciate you! God Bless!

[@NightFlight1973]

I wonder if the J2S would edge out better with a linear power supply. I mean, just plug one in... <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="755">12:35</a> ... and as I'm typing the above, Randy says he's using a linear PS. lol. I've been living with a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 for a year or so. So far only the J2S has niggled at my upgraditis.

[@bencarignan2711]

Ive been saying the same thing. Gotta try a linear power supply. I purchased one for my J2 dac and the difference was notable. I found there was less "bloom" in the mid bass, the lowest bass notes were tighter and more well defined, and the soundstage and imaging were both improved.

[@MrJhardencdj]

I totally pictured the Paul Rudd mirror scene from Wanderlust "with my deeac"

[@IRON_PANDA]

Does this device allow you to change between the outputs in the front and the back? This is the most overlooked feature by manufacturers. People, who buy these more expensive desktop devices, expect them to do so that you can pretty seamlessly swap between headphones and powered speakers, which is the setup for most of all users, imo. If you don't include this feature in the final product, pretty much the only choice is to shut off (or worse, unplug) your powered speakers when you want to listen to ear-/headphones.

[@bchunter1968]

Yes, it does.

[@tacofortgens3471]

Nevermind Randy 😅

[@RedSinter]

😂 Don't buy the Fio R7! 😂

[@Synthematix]

Thing is if you buy a decent amp in the first place you dont need any of these add-on boxes

[@s.daniel9224]

Separate’s are the point.

[@albeklik8055]

I would take bifrost any day with midgard❤

[@eric_sc]

Cheap coffee man 😂

[@michaelcorlet2998]

You say coffee right.thats all that counts.😮

[@scottengh1175]

How are the Hifiman XS surviving normal use? They are $379 now.

[@DigitalDave65]

Mine are holding up very well. I don't throw them around and they never leave the house. So far, great listening. I have the XS, Ananda, and the Sundara. I like the XS and Sundara the best.

[@clarice1001nights]

I am thinking about a Gustard Audalytic AH90. Tell me what to do...the Aune vs the Audalytic? Hope you see this question tonight!!

[@roverwaters3875]

he doesn't know

[@clarice1001nights]

@@roverwaters3875 I chose the Gustard Audalytic AH90

[@Brian_Romska]

Neato, thx Randy! Nice to see the competition but I’ll definitely stick with Geshelli for soooo many reasons 😊

[@tonymolina7744]

Marnin'

[@DeMorcan]

I like a vocals forward sound. So, I may like it. I keep getting different DACs. I just cannot leave my system be and the DACs are affordable to change.

[@kellanmackenzie5230]

In my head I say ON s9c

[@henripelletier6619]

Don't change

[@ericelliott227]

Just looking at the builds and specs, in my opinion the J2 beats the Aune and especially in practicality and function. The J2 is more high value than the Aune.

[@Atheistic007]

Hi

[@SyzygyNoon]

Hi edit: Sorry. I hope you’re well.

[@masterazlan6999]

The best THX couples is AKM4493 which is power efficiency in consumption not 4499 r power suckin beast..meaning desktop 99 wow but portable 93 wow.. R7 ess+thx on r7 just another jokes. BTW ur j2 r better with vivid burson Way better then sparkos bro 've u experienced it? .. Peace!

[@alanrogs3990]

$739. Again, not cheap, audio man.

[@cnhhnc]

Up to 768Khz? Really. We were at 192 then 384 now 768? What's NEXT? 1536? 3072? 6144... What is this? An IQ test...? What number comes next in the sequence above, lol! When will the sampling rate reach Alpha Centauri and achieve the ASYNCRHONOUS SINGULARITY? I look forward to PROGRESS. Eventually, we will need some Musk-like neural ear implants to actually be able to hear the upsampling, lol! CYBORG HI-FI is coming! Get ready!

[@AttilaBalla87]

Yeah, the ear is a silly thing, but if you see a sine sample above 10 kHz you can easily tell the 44.1 kHz is definitely impricse and technically speaking there is a sense in even the higher sample rates than 192 kHz.

[@shipsahoy1793]

Always splitting hairs with DAC’s in comparable price ranges. It’s just downright silly.😵‍💫

[@granddwizard8689]

on -it's pronounced on

[@BroSweets730]

“Cheap” audioman. . . Is it really worth it to spend over 100$ on a dac? Lol j think these things are essentially snake oil

[@johnrussell5164]

Actually, I am here to hear about your coffee mug and see you scare your teenager with a mannequin. I probably won't buy a dac for quite a while. I got the Topping e50 on your recommendation.

[@ufopulse]

That jnog dac isnt very good but fanboys gunna fan

[@TacoTrainer]

“Cheap audio man” Also, 700$ dac. Yeah. Ok.

[@roverwaters3875]

it has a discrete headphone amp + preamp

[@WireHedd]

Love the videos Randy but ... $699 USD for a DAC?! Yeah, no. Way outside of the "cheap" range by a lot. I'd expect Darko or Robinson reviews of this but not here as I come here to learn about components for actual people not wealthy folks.

[@cheapaudioman]

The J2 is about the same price and if you consider the headphone amp is easily worth 300-400 it’s not a terribly expensive product. Appreciate you watching though.

[@WireHedd]

@@cheapaudioman I can see how that calculates. Sadly, as a person who has some hearing loss and some pretty bad caulied ears I don't get a lot of value from headphones so that's my personal reason for it not having the value for me that it does for you or others. Not saying it's bad gear by any stretch just can't see the value to price ratio as worthwhile for me.

[@b30sail]

From my experience over the last few years buying a bunch of stuff at many price points, I've found that under $500 for any part of a system is on the wrong end of the diminishing return curve. Unfortunately spending $500 -$1000 on a component or speaker usually yields significant improvements over under $500 stuff. I wish it wasn't true. I tried hard. Maybe Randy should rebrand best value audioman

[@bencarignan2711]

@b30sail In Randy's defense, cheap is a relative term. Im in my 40s now with no family, so I have disposable income. Im willing to spend a little more if its a great value. To your point though, I think Value Audio Man would be a title that is more in line with his content.