Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Was told that it was a very good show this year.  No really specifics though. I have a call into a dealer who was there and will share what he would like to share.  

Was told that it was a very good show this year.  No really specifics though. I have a call into a dealer who was there and will share what he would like to share.  

Subscribed to this thread. Interested to see opinions on different DACs.

I have tried
MSB Analog and Platinum DACS,
DCS Rossini
Play back Design (Currently Own the Merlot)
Total DAC Dual D1
Lampi 7

Ordered a Aqua Formula


For DSD I still prefer my Playback Design.

MSB NO SOUL (Analog DAC was more musical then the higher Teir models)
DCS NO SOUL
Total DAC Excellent Tonality and natural sounding.
Playback Design, Natural Sounding feels like the music is more engaging.
Lampi 7 was just not for me. Too Coloured for my taste.


My System Already consist of Tube Pre-Amps and Power Amps so Lampi was sounding too warm for my taste.

Their are some hard-core Die hard fans for Lampi DACs.

Dragon Vibe,

We are also an Aqua Dealer, and will be testing a Forumla some time later this year. What I will say based on having a La Scala MK II in the shop and if you read the Six Moons review of the Formula, Serjan, found that the Forumla was better in terms of spatiality, resolution and smoothness, but didn’t blow the La Scala away in every area and in a few areas macrodynamics and image density pefered the older Lascala MK II.

In our shop the Davinc decimates the La Scala and so it should considering the price difference.

What I will say is the Aqua digital is a wonderful sounding, very musical sound with a huge soundstage and very propulsive bass. It is very involving. The La Scala is a buy for its amazingly musical sound and its fantastic build quality for a $7k dac for the La Scala and $13k for the Formula.

You would love the Davinci which expands on everything the Forumla does. The Davinci is incredibily musical and sounds like a good vinyl front end but unlike Lampis and other very tubey sounding products the Davinci is very airy and extended in the top end without calling attention to itself.

The Davinci Dual Dac MK II also can handle any DSD file up to 512 and has a pure PCM Ladder Dac stage just like the Aqua.

Don’t get me wrong the Aqua stuff is fantastic and for the money is very hard to beat. If you are on the East Coast come in for a demo.

If you ever want to talk digital we have one of the best selections around including: Emm Labs, Aqua, Aurender, Baetis, Lumin, Naim, Cary, T+A

So far we have tested the Davinci Dual Dac MK I vs the DCD Rosini, Berkley, EMM Labs Dacs, and the Aqua and all the other dacs in the shop and so far nothing has come close.

Troy
Audio Doctor

I too am impressed with EnKlein cables, I own their lower price Taurus PC, AND LOVE IT. CANT afford David.