Latest and greatest DAC's

As forum members know all too well, unfortunately Gryphon still has no distribution in the US. Metrum has a great following but is not listed as participating in AXPONA.
 
Mike said:
Since I dropped Soulution (long story I'll happily tell over a beer sometime), I'm also on the hunt for SS amps/preamp/etc.

Ok, back to DAC's.
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Maybe you could check CH Precision combo
DAC wise - Merging NADAC :whew:
 
Narayan said:
Yes, or go a small step further with the Adagio

http://www.metrum-acoustics.com/Adagio.html
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While the Adagio was initially designed as being an evolutionary improvement over the Pavane as well as incorporating a volume control, they recently began offering the Pavane in three different Levels, the Level 3 version being reportedly equivalent to the Adagio but less expensive without the volume control.
 
Don't feel bad :).... no love for the perennial award winning giant killer, and their latest model using the ESS9038 Pro.... The Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2v2SE :D....
 
EJ told me that they will be showing the 10th anniversary model at the show... he finished a demo (with broken hand and all) to send off to the show with Tony. A special limited edition SE model with some nice cosmetics for the anniversary and a newly designed updated main board!
 
Mike said:
Yes. Love MSB sounds. Better than DCS (don't shoot me) IMO. And MSB amps are good too.


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I have the Select with the FEMTO33 being delivered to me in the next few weeks. Really looking forward to it. Since my V was end of life I decided to upgrade to the "big guy". Hoping to be able to part with my REF10 Pre to make the purchase more "economical".

MSB is a special product to me.
 
Congratulations on the SELECT! Have you heard it before in your system? It's quite a difference from the V!

We have a local client who also upgraded for the same reasons. He was on the fence for a while, because of the pricing, so he tried about 3 different DACs, CH Precision, etc., and in the end, he picked the SELECT, as the other DACs he heard couldn't even better the DAC V, let alone the SELECT...

I think the SELECT is the answer to the issue raised in this post, the "DAC du jour". The SELECT will bring a peace of mind that few other DACs will. It performs so far above everything else, and it is guaranteed to keep doing so.

Enjoy :)

cheers,
Alex
 
Mike said:
Keith - that's a great topic for a separate thread. Would love to explore this further. Heck, even I can't keep up with the onslaught of new DAC's and have to really work hard to pick the winners from the pretenders. Companies like Berkeley focus solely on digital products and they have a great pedigree and great products. The Chord uses some interesting technology to deepen the soundstage, while combining in one box with a nice volume control and headphone amp.

Maybe you can start a new thread? It is interesting. We don't see this with amps, turntables, etc.
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Ha. I'm pretty sure we can produce an exact time frame over the past years of the 'ole Dac train and its many stops. When I'm back from vacation, perhaps I'll start a thread.
 
asiufy said:
Congratulations on the SELECT! Have you heard it before in your system? It's quite a difference from the V!

We have a local client who also upgraded for the same reasons. He was on the fence for a while, because of the pricing, so he tried about 3 different DACs, CH Precision, etc., and in the end, he picked the SELECT, as the other DACs he heard couldn't even better the DAC V, let alone the SELECT...

I think the SELECT is the answer to the issue raised in this post, the "DAC du jour". The SELECT will bring a peace of mind that few other DACs will. It performs so far above everything else, and it is guaranteed to keep doing so.

Enjoy :)

cheers,
Alex
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Believe it or not, the answer is no. Totally crazy, I know BUT it was either buy it or have an end of the line product so I decided to pull the trigger. I am a huge MSB fan. I think their Analogue is spectacular and tried that years ago before I bought my IV. I am really looking forward to the Select
 
HA! Bold move, but trust me, you made the right move, specially if your dealer was accomodating with your DAC IV...

Oh, did you order the Renderer module? Even though it can't do MQA yet, it's by far the best input on the MSB DACs!

Speaking of the Analog DAC, we just got a CH Precision C1 in consignment... I briefly compared it to the MSB Analog DAC, and guess which one I preferred? :) That thing is crazy good for the money...


cheers,
Alex
 
asiufy said:
HA! Bold move, but trust me, you made the right move, specially if your dealer was accomodating with your DAC IV...

Oh, did you order the Renderer module? Even though it can't do MQA yet, it's by far the best input on the MSB DACs!

Speaking of the Analog DAC, we just got a CH Precision C1 in consignment... I briefly compared it to the MSB Analog DAC, and guess which one I preferred? :) That thing is crazy good for the money...


cheers,
Alex
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I agree. I know I'm an idiot, have no problem admitting it and some of the best gear I have purchased are those I have never heard!! In this case, I didn't see I had a "choice" in the matter other than to part with some serious $$$ as the alternative was to keep a spectacular end of the line product and spend the money on dumb things like mortgage, car and education payments. So like all good audiophiles, I made the right decision by rationalizing why I HAD TO buy this absurdly expensive "current" product without a demo.

I chose not to get the renderer as yet as a new one will soon be coming out that does ROON. So my unit is coming with the QUAD USB MQA module.

Are you using the Select without a preamp? I have an ARC REF10 now which I am probably going to sell based on everyone's experience with the preamp section of the Select to help "finance" my "deal"

As to the Analog, that is where I began years ago. I had a EMM DAC2X and decided to try the Analog to compare it as my dealer was taking on the MSB line. I was hooked immediately. I had it on loan for 30 days until my dealer got a Diamond Plus IV+ and out went the Analog. I haven't found a DAC I enjoy more than the IV-->V and am sure I will love the Select.

This will be another one of those products I tell my wife "Oh it was just a few bucks for the upgrade". She just shakes her head now and ignores me. Better that way.
 
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