I can buy a pair of Audioengine A5 in gloss white 4 years old for £130incP&P or a brand new set of Microlab SOLO8C for a little less which have a remote and an optical connection. Forgetting the price for a minute which speakers would you choose and why? And whatever speakers I get would a USB-DAC be benificial if so which do you suggest?
I've heard good things about both sets of speakers, though I've heard more good things about the A5s - £130 seems a good shout so long as they're in decent condition. I think a USB DAC is a superb upgrade over internal sound - miles better than your typical minijack analogue output, and additionally an async USB output is less prone to jitter than an S/PDIF output. Many simply don't subscribe to the possibility it makes the slightest bit of difference though. I've used (and have just sold, simply because it was excess to requirements) an Arcam rPAC and was a huge fan of it. To my ears it bettered an Audiolab M-DAC over S/PDIF and overall preferred it even on USB (splitting hairs with the sound of it, but the rPAC is in a much more convenient package).
was confused for a second then realised A5 not A5+ Audioengine D1 has had good reviews and comes in about £140 on amazon
As a USB-DAC is a recent addition to my small budget then £140 is way to much. I have been looking at the Asus Xonar U7. Is that a reasonable alternative? And at 65 quid is just about affordable.
Looks like you have made a good choice, see this review: http://www.reviewstudio.net/191-asus-xonar-u7-review-surround-portability
Cheers, just the speakers to sort now though I am leaning towards the Microlab being new which will afford me some protection even though the A5's are probably the better of the two. Edit: Decided that as I am going to be using a DAC then the Microlab SOLO8C with the optical connection I originally wanted was no longer needed. So after reading a review on Bit-Tech giving a thumbs up then the MicroLab SOLO6C will be suitable for my needs with the plus that the two items will be within the budget I have.
I've got a pair of microlabs and I like them, although I've very little experience of speakers so can't really compare them, but I doubt you'll be disappointed
