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Best Bang for your Buck DAC ?

I just realized I’m in the market for a DAC , I don’t want to spend a fortune on a DAC either . I picked up a drangonfly cobalt a while back and am unimpressed  so I moved it to my CPU and sounds really good on my system there which when I bought it figured I would do anyway since it was my first DAC purchase . There are so many DACs I have no clue , how high up on the returns chart can I go at say $1,000 before I run into heavy Diminished returns resistance. I’m open to buying used . I was thinking about a Schitt made in the states ? Anyone’s take on best bang for buck DACs? 
ngiordano
nsm1979
14 posts
 
I have had Schiit, Nuprime, Chord, MHDT, and a few others.  Hands down best Bang for the Buck DAC has been the Digital Amplifier Company DAC.  Preowned market, these can be had for $600-$700.  Like the other companies mentioned, they offer a few different models, including one that is “tube-like”.  Highly recommend you at least check them out.
daveman2's avatar
daveman2
58 posts
 
Apparently the Okto dac8 Stereo is supposed to be the Schiit.
k5d's avatar
k5d
18 posts
 
Musical Fidelity V90 DAC plus an S-Booster power supply to replace the wall wart sounds really good for the price. 
mrmeaner
44 posts
 
Another very happy Denafrips Ares II owner here, very good build quality, balanced XLR’s, r2r and there is a reason why you don’t see them on the second hand market. 
nordicnorm
313 posts
 
What is the highest resolution you will be listening to? If you don’t listen to hi-res beyond 96kHz/24bit, then there are some terrific deals to be found in older, higher end DACs (e.g., Ayre, Esoteric, Benchmark, Meitner, etc.) as people upgrade their gear.




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