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I am checking out these DAC's for my system

I am building a system and all I have left to get is the DAC and maybe a streamer.  I really an at a loss on which DAC to get.  I am wanting to stream music and also use my system for watching movies.  My equipment currently is SMC audio tic-2 GT24 preamp and DNA.5 GT24 amp with GR Research NX-otica's and Open Baffle subs.  The DAC's that interest me are

Mojo Audio Mystique X SE- I will have to purchase used and I will need to use and adapter to connect to my TV because it doesn't have toslink.  

Mojo Audio Mystique Y-  It only has a USB connection so I am not sure how to connect to my TV.  Mojo audio DAC's have really good reviews but If they only had toslink.  I am really intrigued with the choke in the power supply.  I think there might be something to that.  

Holo Audio May KTE-  People say the mojo sounds better more natural but this DAC still holds a pretty good price used and doesn't last long on the used market.

Musetec mh-da006-  This DAC is interesting but I am afraid it will be fatiguing.

Audio Mirror Tubadour v-  This just seemed interesting but afraid tubes won't last very long if I watch a bunch of movies etc.

Denafrips terminator plus- These are always for sale used which make me nervous.  

If you have any of these DAC's or have listened them let me know from your favorite on down.  

128x128brbrock
dbb
208 posts
 

@shmeet This is off topic, but could you tell us more about you experience with the Mustec preamp? I have never seen a review of it. What tube preamplifier do you have that it equals? Thanks.

danager's avatar
danager
966 posts
 

@brbrock 

I haven't ported TV sound thru my Mystique.  One of the reason is it replaced a DAC that already had the  optical input and the other issue is that to change inputs on the Mystique you have to get up and push the button manually.  and it's easier to change it on the preamp with the remote.

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
481 posts
 

@brbrock FWIW, you can buy a brand new Terminator 15th for the price of the used  Terminator Plus and it’s the same DAC except for the fancy faceplate. @audioman58 can help you get one for a good price.

hasmarto's avatar
hasmarto
210 posts
 

@brbrock 

I tried the Chord Qutest and the Lab12 DAC1 Reference, and before that, I was using the built-in DAC of my Marantz SACD player. By the way, I forgot to mention that new production Russian tubes are available from Sovtek (6C45Pi) for $50 each, but I wouldn’t recommend them.

shmeet
8 posts
 

 @@dbb  -   my tube pre amp is made by response audio / musical Bella ( formerly purity audio)  the engineer or builder Bill Baker was/is working for Raven and build his own stuff.   The foundation preamp the he built me came stock with a solid state rectifier I Bill if he can make it with a 5ar4 rectifier,  so he built a separate chassis that power the rectifier and also installed a 12v and 5v Lp into it to power a streamer or Dac.  The foundation preamp is very quite, smooth and  picks up alot of detail.  I'm feeding the the preamp from the puritain 156 with Aq hurricane high current.  Feeding to the Gallion TS A20 power amp  ( also a very good peice of Kit)

Currently using wathan cyro treated rectifier and 6922tubes great results.

Now to the mustec preamp  with 200 hrs of burn  in.  Fantastic,  sounds like a tube preamp,  when I hit the 500 hrs recommend burn time of the preamp I will report back , I also want to AB the two preamps.

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