Just Sold an Amp So Now I Want a DAC

The source feeding your DAC is far more important than the DAC. If your going ringers a DAC via a laptop, your going to get only fair results. IMO, your better off getting something like a Lumin that is a complete unit, DAC and endpoint. You might even benefit from the $700 Applepi. Ethernet connected is going to be a lot better. You will get way better performance from this unit if you power it with an HD Plex linear PS. that's about $1,400 complete. Power supply, endpoint, streamer etc. Go this type of route. don't try and purchase a nice DAC thinking a noisy apple computer will do it justice. All the manufacturer are lying if they tell you their USB will somehow make it great.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1844799967/applepi-dac-highest-performance-raspberry-pi-dac
 
Yes, the source is important, but not to the exclusion of the DAC. Also, to use the best playback software setup at it's highest ability actually requires a Windows machine.

I have tried 14 different DACs over the past three years trying to find the nirvana of digital (that I could afford). The T+A DAC8 DSD with a custom made Windows "music server" running Roon in conjunction with HQPlayer feeding through a Wyred 4 Sound Recovery definitely has proven to fit the bill nicely for me. Of course, as with anything else in this crazy hobby, YMMV and personal preferences, abilities, fears, etc., certainly come into play.
 
I hope my point wasn't taken as excluding the value of the DAC. The value of the DAC is very important. I'm on my third DAC at this time. I'm on about an $8,000 DAC. I've not moved into the realm of MSB or lampizator. I am also on my third music server. This last move with my music server under the tutelage of Alrainbow was absolutely transforming. It was so far and above my expectations it really floored me. The shift towards everything improving with the musical playback by improving my server far exceeded any shift I got by upgrading my DAC's.

In my humble opinion, most DAC in the $6,000 to $10,000 range are going to have minut differences in performance. This is way out of the price range of what the original poster is looking for. My server is also way out of his price range. We're talking a good server is $6,000 to $8,000.

My only point was sources such as servers or endpoints are still undervalued in perception when people consider digital. They still gravitate towards the DAC thinking it's what makes the music. I look at the server as far more important. I see a laptop as a scratched up record with greasy hand prints all over it. Or CD that has skips and all sorts of inferior playback do to it scratching and sliding around on the floor of your car for a year. Don't get me wrong, they both matter. My two cents is save the money on jumping from DAC to DAC and get your Source cleaned up first. From there you will have a much better appreciation of any of the differences between DAC that you audition.
 
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