I had asked a similar question on mattnshilp’s ’Absolute top tier DAC for standard res redbook CD’ thread. Responses are copied below, since they apply. I also did not want to take Matt’s thread off-course.
Thanks to all whose responses are copied below.
[If there are any objections to my copying your posts, let me know and I will edit accordingly].
@toetapaudio "I suggest taking a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month. Going by the Makua (pre with dac module) it should be extremely good. £9k in the UK."
@bill_k "If you like NOS PCM DAC designs (no DSD), I suggest you check out the Metrum Acoustics Adagio which is their top of the line. It incorporates a unique volume control implementation which varies the operating voltage of the DAC rather than adding in an additional stage or digitally implemented volume control. It provides a continuous volume control without typical losses or compression most other designs exhibit."
@ctsooner "I have finally gotten the Memory Player DAC integrated into their server. It’s special. They are still working on it and we are waiting on the Stealth Caps to arrive, but It will end up being in the discussion of top DAC’s built I think. Soon Matt will have one in his system to play with I think. It’s worth keeping an eye on as I think Mark (the designer) is onto something specially. It does have two small signal tubes in it, but the sound is impactful, tons of micro and macro info for that emotional pull on music and it’s got great totality so far and it’s not broken in and it has many upgrades to come. We will even be pulling it out of the server and it may become a two box DAC. Just not sure yet. I like how they have dealt with the digital volume control, but mine also has an analog one too and in time, we will build that up to a world class preamp. This way I’ll be able to run a great stereo or set of mono’s off the DAC ."
@guidocorona "If you like NOS PCM DAC designs (no DSD), I suggest you check out the Metrum Acoustics Adagio which is their top of the line. It incorporates a unique volume control implementation which varies the operating voltage of the DAC rather than adding in an additional stage or digitally implemented volume control. It provides a continuous volume control without typical losses or compression most other designs exhibit. Sounds like a perfect description of the volume control of my Jeff Rowland Aeris... Yes, not the newest DAC on the market by any stretch of the imagination, but particularly when powered by the external PSU power supply, an amazing maker of music."
@mitch2 "I can second the Metrum Adagio that was already recommended by @bill_k. I owned the Adagio as well as Metrum’s Pavane at the same time and after several weeks of side-by-side comparisons, I chose to keep the Pavane and have it upgraded by Metrum to their Level 3, which means the interior build is at the same level as the Adagio, but without the volume control.
The sound of the Adagio is very close to my upgraded Pavane but I already owned a preamp that I like very much and I liked the sound through my preamp just a little bit better than through the Adagio alone. This was probably due to some minor coloration, possibly caused by components in the preamp including AN tantalum resistors in the volume control, Jupiter copper foil caps, Lundahl transformers, or other circuitry. The Adagio had slightly better resolution and both sounded super clean with good staging, tone, bass, and plenty of drive. If I didn’t already own that preamp, I would have kept the Adagio and been perfectly happy. There is probably "better" in some way but for a simple solution that gets you off the merry-go-round the Adagio should certainly be on your list.
FWIW, Steve Nugent’s well-regarded Empirical Audio DACs also adjust volume by changing the reference voltage. I think there may be at least one more that does that but I cannot remember the name."
@georgehifi "I believe they still do it in their flagship model dacs or cdp. either by user programming or physical links or trimpots.
But Wadia, Mark Levinson and the Bricasti M1 used digital domain remote volume controls, but they also had the ability to set the max output gain of the analogue output buffer, so that you used the digital domain volume at or near full output, so there was no chance of "bit stripping" (lowering resolution 16bit 14bit 12bit the lower you go)
This is the perfect dac /cdp volume control."
@wideload "I’m at a much lower level than you’re looking for but who knows. I was very happy with an Exogal Comet Plus until I heard the Mojo Audio Mystique. No contest. The Mojo has an organic, palpable, engaging presentation that is intoxicating. The Exogal makes lovely sound, The Mojo makes music. Goosebumps."
@nitewulf "I’d highly suggest the Chord Dave or the Metrum Adagio. Conversely, I believe you have the Denafrips Terminator which is a high end dac, perhaps you could add a well regarded passive attenuator between the dac and the amp."
Thanks to all whose responses are copied below.
[If there are any objections to my copying your posts, let me know and I will edit accordingly].
recommendations for an upper tier DAC with a very well implemented volume control
@toetapaudio "I suggest taking a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month. Going by the Makua (pre with dac module) it should be extremely good. £9k in the UK."
@bill_k "If you like NOS PCM DAC designs (no DSD), I suggest you check out the Metrum Acoustics Adagio which is their top of the line. It incorporates a unique volume control implementation which varies the operating voltage of the DAC rather than adding in an additional stage or digitally implemented volume control. It provides a continuous volume control without typical losses or compression most other designs exhibit."
@ctsooner "I have finally gotten the Memory Player DAC integrated into their server. It’s special. They are still working on it and we are waiting on the Stealth Caps to arrive, but It will end up being in the discussion of top DAC’s built I think. Soon Matt will have one in his system to play with I think. It’s worth keeping an eye on as I think Mark (the designer) is onto something specially. It does have two small signal tubes in it, but the sound is impactful, tons of micro and macro info for that emotional pull on music and it’s got great totality so far and it’s not broken in and it has many upgrades to come. We will even be pulling it out of the server and it may become a two box DAC. Just not sure yet. I like how they have dealt with the digital volume control, but mine also has an analog one too and in time, we will build that up to a world class preamp. This way I’ll be able to run a great stereo or set of mono’s off the DAC ."
@guidocorona "If you like NOS PCM DAC designs (no DSD), I suggest you check out the Metrum Acoustics Adagio which is their top of the line. It incorporates a unique volume control implementation which varies the operating voltage of the DAC rather than adding in an additional stage or digitally implemented volume control. It provides a continuous volume control without typical losses or compression most other designs exhibit. Sounds like a perfect description of the volume control of my Jeff Rowland Aeris... Yes, not the newest DAC on the market by any stretch of the imagination, but particularly when powered by the external PSU power supply, an amazing maker of music."
@mitch2 "I can second the Metrum Adagio that was already recommended by @bill_k. I owned the Adagio as well as Metrum’s Pavane at the same time and after several weeks of side-by-side comparisons, I chose to keep the Pavane and have it upgraded by Metrum to their Level 3, which means the interior build is at the same level as the Adagio, but without the volume control.
The sound of the Adagio is very close to my upgraded Pavane but I already owned a preamp that I like very much and I liked the sound through my preamp just a little bit better than through the Adagio alone. This was probably due to some minor coloration, possibly caused by components in the preamp including AN tantalum resistors in the volume control, Jupiter copper foil caps, Lundahl transformers, or other circuitry. The Adagio had slightly better resolution and both sounded super clean with good staging, tone, bass, and plenty of drive. If I didn’t already own that preamp, I would have kept the Adagio and been perfectly happy. There is probably "better" in some way but for a simple solution that gets you off the merry-go-round the Adagio should certainly be on your list.
FWIW, Steve Nugent’s well-regarded Empirical Audio DACs also adjust volume by changing the reference voltage. I think there may be at least one more that does that but I cannot remember the name."
@georgehifi "I believe they still do it in their flagship model dacs or cdp. either by user programming or physical links or trimpots.
But Wadia, Mark Levinson and the Bricasti M1 used digital domain remote volume controls, but they also had the ability to set the max output gain of the analogue output buffer, so that you used the digital domain volume at or near full output, so there was no chance of "bit stripping" (lowering resolution 16bit 14bit 12bit the lower you go)
This is the perfect dac /cdp volume control."
@wideload "I’m at a much lower level than you’re looking for but who knows. I was very happy with an Exogal Comet Plus until I heard the Mojo Audio Mystique. No contest. The Mojo has an organic, palpable, engaging presentation that is intoxicating. The Exogal makes lovely sound, The Mojo makes music. Goosebumps."
@nitewulf "I’d highly suggest the Chord Dave or the Metrum Adagio. Conversely, I believe you have the Denafrips Terminator which is a high end dac, perhaps you could add a well regarded passive attenuator between the dac and the amp."