DAC Upgrade


I currently using a Bryston BDA-1 DAC and although it is a pretty good DAC, I want to upgrade to a 2r2 DAC. I recently purchased a Jays Audio cdt2 mk.ll transport and it is exceptional. My budget is in the $2,000 range and after careful review, I have narrowed the list to Schitts-Yagdrasil, Denafrips-Pontus and Holo Spring 2 level 2(new). Unfortunately, It is difficult to compare the three of them side by side, so I have to rely on expert reviews. I am looking for a DAC that is transparent, extended but smooth highs, 3D midrange and tight bass. My equipment is Prima Luna Prologue Pre Amp, Prima Luna Dialogue HP Amp and Silverline Sonata Mk.III speakers. Any thoughts?
cavy
@cavy

If by outstanding you mean complete dog💩, then yes. I mean, look at the L3’s filter response in NOS mode, so much aliasing/images, as a reference to what is good, I present the Chord DAVE’s response, and also let’s look at the insane amounts of IMD, as a reference, I again present the Chord DAVE’s IMD.

Simply put, you are blindly believing what you read online by people who think they know what they are talking about and also likely believe in cable risers and cryo-frozen cables. I haven’t seen any R2R DAC on the market that is more transparent than an equally priced DS DAC. And yes, I did say “see” and not “heard”, if you believe you can evaluate a DAC once you know what it is, you are deluded, you have to look at measurements and/or do a scientific double-blind listening session.

Being “more musical” is a non-descript term, some people (like Paul at PS Audio) use it to mean transparent, whereas other say it’s the enjoyable audible THD and boosted bass of a tube amp, others describe it as something else.

A DAC converts digital to analog, it only controls a few things:
* Frequency response linearity
* Channel mismatch
* Channel crosstalk
* Noise floor level
* Volume linearity
* THD
* IMD
*Jitter reduction

As well as few other things, some being blown out of proportion, like phase mismatch (there is no time smearing by even good $9 DS DACs, despite what MQA proponents will lead you to believe).
Holo Spring Level 3 measurements, it’s decent when in OS mode.
 So very wrong, everyone that's heard it prefers NOS mode, even the designers when it playing PCM redbook, not dsd rubbish.

 https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/256748-holo-spring-dac-level2-review/?tab=comments#comment-40...

Cheers George
@georgehifi

Don’t belive everything you read, even if the ones saying so belive it. Unless by liking it better they mean they like the higher levels of IMD and aliasing. I describe better as transparent, no “colorations” added, I just want it to convert digital to analog.

If you can point to any technical benefit of R2R as it’s been implemented, I’d love to hear it. Same thing regarding DSD and MQA, there is no actual benefit over PCM in regards to a more accurate file, which I’ve also asked to be proven wrong.

One man’s recessed mids is another man’s overemphasized bass and treble. It’s the exact same thing but two people can have different take aways.
R2R is just another way to skin the cats. DS is cheaper, smaller and does the same functionality with better quality in term of measurements. I haven't seen by any mean any quantifiable proof that say good implementation of R2R DAC beat the same league DS ones. That being said if you must stick to your plan, look for soekris DAC. By measurements it's pretty decent. 
Cavy, check out border patrol DACs. A buddy of mine has one and it was fantastic sounding. 
Transparent, organic, 3d, orgasmic. 
Under 2k. Good luck!