Hi Res Audiophile External Sound Cards or Audio Interface For Music on Mac

[Seabass101]

Hi, I have a budget of $200 and wanted to ask what is the best high-res external USB soundcard or Audio Interface to buy for a old Mac to sound better? I listen to high-res 192khz/24bit music. I have looked at the Shiit Modi Multibit, is that a good buy for external soundcards or is there something better?

Thanks

Comments much appreciated

 

[erictherad]

Why don't you just get an interface? Also what exactly are you going to use it for? Music production?

 

[americanaudiophile]

The Schitt is very good in that price range. An external DAC is almost always better than a soundcard for music since just getting the DAC out of the PC isolates it from noise. If you can go to $300 the Cambridge Audio Dacmagic is good. If you want an MQA DAC the Meridian Explorer2 is in the $300 range too.

 

[shotgunz]

The modi is just a DAC, you'll need an amp to actually power the headphones correctly. I'd recommend the modi 2 and magni 2. Depending on which headphones you have, you also may want to look at the vali 1 if tube amps are your thing.