Different R2R DACs
Several months ago, I bought a used Hono Spring Level 2 DAC to see how R2R would compare against my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. I like the Brooklyn+ a lot, but, given the other components in my system, I'm thinking about building in a bit more warmth (without losing significant detail). I'm not looking for sweetness or holography. Unfortunately, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the way the Holo Spring Level 2 smeared the music. I returned it within two weeks. Perhaps the unit I bought was defective (though I bought it from a highly reputable seller of used equipment), but it started me wondering how much of the hype surrounding the newer generation of R2R DACs was just that, hype. However, I keep seeing so many glowing reviews of reasonably priced R2R DACS from Denafrips, Aqua, Lampizator and others. So I'm wondering whether I should give them another try. Unfortunately, where I live the only real (suboptimal) option is to audition by purchasing one DAC at a time. Before I start down that road again, I thought I would ask the collective brain of Audiogon about how much of a difference I might expect, as against the Holo Spring level 2, from a new Denafrips Pontus II or used Terminator II, a used Aqua La Voce or Lampizator, or some other R2R DAC under $5K. I don't require require resolutions greater than 24/192 (beyond which I discern no difference). I do like the option of MQA decoding, but it's not a deal breaker.
The rest of my system (source components aside), at present, include a Parasound JC2 BP preamp, a pair of VTV Purifi mono amps, and Harbeth C7ES-3 speakers.
@ghasley, that is an impressive line up of DACs you mention and it is noteworthy to see you now have the Merason. Could you please elaborate on how you arrived at that choice. The only one in your list that I've heard is the Dave via headphones. It's not sensible for me to try and relate that to how it would sound in my system through speakers.
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@lemonhaze I arrived at the Merason and the Meitner by reading and listening. I've left out many others I've tried and enjoyed to varying degrees: Nagra Classic Dac, Berkely, Border Patrol, MHDT, Audiomirror, Playback Designs, ARC, McIntosh and the list goes on. Full disclaimer: with VERY few exceptions, each of the dacs Ive had are wonderful and each do a fine job. We are talking minor differences to major differences but these differences are the discovery that most dacs these days commit sins of omission rather than 20 years ago when a dac would exhibit sins of commission. Inshort almost any of the dacs I had and sold on I could have lived happily ever after with....some do some things better but none are bad, just different.
Since its a hobby, I enjoy gear. Alot of it LOL. I appreciate the art, the craft and intellligent thinking that goes into the development of an idea into a product. When I read about a new piece of gear, or my dealer friends tell me about a new piece of gear, Im open to trying it. These are long term demos with my own money so to speak. I have five or six setups at any given moment with a main room system, a listening room and an office system as the three primary. They change and evolve and its fun. I happened upon the Merason, quite skeptically, on the advice of a great dealer (Atelier 13) and I tried it. Great out of the box, got better in a week and settled in after several more weeks. It was a retail purchase, no industry affiliations.
The Merason dac 1 is an absolutely exceptional dac. It reminds me of the Totaldac but with more dynamic snap, tonal color, decay and pace. Its a $10,000 dac that sells for $5500. Its a no nonsense box and while extremely well built and finished, it isnt a piece of audio jewelry that begs to placed on a pedestal and admired. It just gets the job done in a way that makes you forget about the gear and lose yourself in the music. I cant fault any part of the presentation. For reference it is in a system consisting of Shindo pre/amp, shindo and A23 cables driving Audio Note K spx speakers.
Is it a synergy thing? Yes. Do I believe it could be that it has a great output stage on the single ended outputs? Yes. Could that be why I prefer it to the MSB discrete? Yes, given that the MSB only had xlr outputs that I had the run using Cardas adapters that might have played a part in my preference. As I posted earlier in this thread, the Merason is exceptional. The Meitner MA3 is better still but its just a matter of degrees in this hobby. If I were on a strict budget and could only have one sub $10,000 dac I would purchase a Merason Dac 1. Its a no-brainer at its price point and performance. If I were comparing the MA3 vs the DAC 1 and I could only have one and my budget was $10,000, the MA3 is a no-brainer easy recommendation.
You can't go wrong with either dac....heck, there are so many great dacs out there at every price point that we in the hobby have never been better served. Good luck in your search and let us know where you settle. |
Thanks for the great info, the above quote is exactly what I was after and carries more weight than a mainstream review.
The Merason was on my short list and now it's on an even shorter list together with the new Mojo Mystique X
Decisions, decisions 🤔 |
to @ghasley and other interested readers of this thread
i believe these are the most important words in his post... we need to not lose perspective, among well reputed and well established dacs into mid and high 4 figures, none are bad and the differences, even on a resolving system, are not huge, all are able to deliver wonderful, very analog listening experiences |
@ghasley , I appreciate your contribution to this thread and mentioning/introducing the Merason DAC1. I hadn't heard of this Swiss made component. It certainly seems to be a first rate product. This forum can be very useful in bringing awareness of smaller companies that produce excellent audio components. @in_shore brought to my attention recently the Musician Aquarius DAC. There's much good product available in High End audio. Charles |
