What is the hot new DAC now?

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
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What is the hot new DAC now? I heard the Aries at Munich a few times. Meh. I heard the TotalDAC stack. Good. MSB was sounding great. DCS too.

The new Auralic stack was very appealing (a more budget friendly DCS-like approach).

In my store, the Berk REF2 (with MQA coming VERY soon) remains how, ditto with the Chord DAVE and the new Esoteric Grandioso K1 is a terrific all-in-one.

The Ayre QX5 Twenty and Bryston BDA-3 remain great options in their price point.

The Lumin A1 remains one of my favorite all in one boxes.

I got to see the new T+A MP3100HV at Munich. Nice!

What's on your list?
 
I hear the Lampi's are pretty great, but never heard one...

I am really loving my new Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2v2SE... best sounding DAC I have ever heard. I have had 10 different DACs; granted, none of the extreme ones like many you mentioned, but this new ESS9038 Pro based DAC is superb.
 
The Lampi's ARE great. Talk about staying power in the land of digital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Aqua Hifi Formula and La Scala Mk2
Nagra HD and Classic
MSB Select, Reference, Diamond & Sig. DAC V

Ken
 
I am blown away by the T + A DAC8 DSD. After Roon went to 512 capability, I went out and bought a PC with the necessary muscle...the results are not subtle. Good recordings become great, and great recordings are just unreal.

This change represents the biggest upgrade in a single component I've ever been a part of. I'll do a more thorough review once my longer USB cable arrives and I can get the rack neatly situated for pictures.

Thanks to Mike for a flawless transaction.
 
I liked the Meitner DA2 quite a bit on the demos I saw in Munich.

Can't get it for pocket change though...


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Alpinist said:
Aqua Formula
Ken
Click to expand...

People really need to listen to what the Aqua line of DACs can do, not only the Formula. The $3k La Voce is incredible, and not only with the $16k SGM...

Curious folks are welcome to check out the SGM + Aqua Formula combination in one of our rooms at the LA Show next weekend (#s 575/579)


cheers,
alex
 
bikeman71 said:
I am blown away by the T + A DAC8 DSD. After Roon went to 512 capability, I went out and bought a PC with the necessary muscle...the results are not subtle. Good recordings become great, and great recordings are just unreal.

This change represents the biggest upgrade in a single component I've ever been a part of. I'll do a more thorough review once my longer USB cable arrives and I can get the rack neatly situated for pictures.

Thanks to Mike for a flawless transaction.
Click to expand...

Bikeman,

What PC are you driving it with?

Ken
 
Soon to be released Ayre QX-8. At least this is the price point I'm contemplating at the moment. Last time I churned out for then top of the line Chord QBD76HD, it lasted being that for 2-3 years. Not sure I want to follow the same path again. But of course, interested in DAVE as the natural successor and as a safe bet. However, only for the right price.
 
bikeman71 said:
I am blown away by the T + A DAC8 DSD. After Roon went to 512 capability, I went out and bought a PC with the necessary muscle...the results are not subtle. Good recordings become great, and great recordings are just unreal.

This change represents the biggest upgrade in a single component I've ever been a part of. I'll do a more thorough review once my longer USB cable arrives and I can get the rack neatly situated for pictures.

Thanks to Mike for a flawless transaction.
Click to expand...


I second this. I heard this DAC at my friends house using HQ player at 512. Just awesome.
 
Kuoppis said:
I liked the Meitner DA2 quite a bit on the demos I saw in Munich.

Can't get it for pocket change though...


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Click to expand...

I can only imagine. I have the DAC 2X with the new digital board (8xDSD) and it sounds wonderful (only have the version 2 with the new digital board for a bit over a month). I have an MA-1 in a secondary system. I like that too. Have not done the new board in it and not sure I'll end up doing it.
 
Under 2k- Ayre Codex
Under 12K- Ayre QX5/20 (own) (honorable mention Empirical Audio ODSE/SE)
Under 15k- Brinkmann
Under 20k- TotalDac
Price no object- Davinci Light Harmonic mk2

Need to hear the Empirical Audio ODSX without the cap upgrades. Was told by two who own it that it's killer. I owned the ODSE/SE for a few years and LOVED it.

I have heard some of the tubed DAC's, but I'm no longer a tube guy, so I can't comment on them properly. JMHO
 
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