I am checking out these DAC's for my system

@danager You mentioned the the USB boards on the Mojo DAC’s are exceptional. You are not the first one to mention this. What makes the boards exceptional?  The boards look nice but that is about all I know.

@brbrock , 

You can always return the piece if you don’t like it. Vlad is very easy to work with.

Look at the best Denafrips DAC you can afford. Anything Pontus 15th and above is brilliant. The 15th series are virtually the same as the next level up DAC. Most musical and fun DACs to my ears

Pontus 15th same as Venus II 12th

 Venus 15th same as Terminator II 12th

Terminator 15th same as Terminator Plus

They also are releasing the Terminator Plus 15th, and I have no clue what that is

@brbrock

I was told by Vlad the major difference between IV & V was

"Completely different tube stage and tube power supply."

But both still have transformer output (no capacitors... the III still uses capacitor output)

@mitch2 

Thanks Mitch.  The USB board that Mojo uses, the attention to power supplies and the focus on reducing both EMF and external vibration have created a top notch product.  I'm really happy with my Mystique X and hopefully it will serve me for many years to come.

I run the optical connection out of my TV to my two channel stereo because the only other option is the headphone jack. In the past I've used the headphone to RCA connector  which works but it has the potential of over-driving the preamp and causing damage.  I haven't  a clue about converters or how that would even work on a USB input.  you might be able to run the converter and the audio USB output through a USB hub but since I already have the second DAC  I really don't care to try.

@danager 

"I own the MOJO X SE and the USB input is really, really good.  Knowing what I do now the MOJO Y AM would have saved me some money and more than likely performed just as well"

I am admittedly behind the times on television audio connections and don't understand why/how @brbrock would run a digital television signal through a two channel DAC, but I can say that you  are spot on about the Mystique Y.  I have one here now for evaluation and I am and comparing it directly to my Mystique X SE NCZ. 

I am not ready to confirm that the Y performs "just as well"  in my system, but I will say that the performance doesn't seem to lag much behind the X SE.  In fact, after a couple of days with it, I suspect it is more a matter of shadings of different, rather than better or worse.  The test will be reconnecting the X SE NCZ but, after switching over to the Y, I can say that Benjamin's Mystique X and Mystique Y Comparison is pretty darn spot on.

One difference is likely the presentation of the AD1865 18-bit DAC Chip in the Y vs. the AD1862 20-bit chip (two of them) in the X (mine has the 1862-Z chip).  Writer Antonino Scozzaro with Soundbsessive in his DAC Chips List said of the AD1862 chip that it is "one of the best of the world’s Audio".  Also, I tend to like the "liquidity, texture, and harmonic content" of the AD1862 chips over the "slightly more lively, slightly more transparent, and slightly more dynamic" sound of the AD1865 chip, but I could understand how others might see it differently.  My main take-away so far is that the X SE probably didn't need any other inputs except for USB.

I would defineately email Vlad.

I might also add..he offers an aesy upgrade path...if you get the IV now and want to upgrade to the V later.

@brbrock I would send Vlad at Audio Mirror an email. He is very responsive and great to work with. 

Denafrips 15th editions...but with new China tarrifs and suspension of imports might be tough to get and will cost you more now.Previous Holo owner and it gets burned by the 15th edition in my system 

@nwres I looked up the Tubadour on the Audio Mirror website to try to figure out the differences in the models and it doesn't say much.  The only thing I can tell is the the Tubadour V and IVse have different type of tubes.  Maybe I  will email and ask.

+1 for the Audio Mirror Tubadour. I have not heard the IV but Vlad claims the V is a greater distance better than the IV compared to the IV's distance better than the III. I feel that the Audio Mirror DAC's are very difficult to beat. 

I was asked a while ago to post a review of the Canor, DAC 2.10 and at the time just didn't have the hours into it to make an informative report. Still don't really have the words to describe it but I can share these. Of the DACs in the $3-5.5K range I demoed, I found the 2.10 to be a better and in some cases a far superior option for me than those from Weiss, Denafrips, PS Audio, Bel Canto, Merason & one or two more. There are plenty of others I could have tried but stopped the search when I got to the Canor (liked the Merason too) but to me the Canor sounded more organic than the others. The air around instruments and depth of soundstage is really amazing. It gives the listener an impression of totally being there. Not in an up-front kinda way & not aggressive in any manner. Like that of sitting at a 4-top at your favorite jazz lounge. Some of the others were too clinical, way too resolving and just not enough of a digital departure. Maybe because it's a tube hybrid component and that I've loaded it now with expensive 6922 tubes, which I believe has made it even more holographic, but I couldn't find a reason to choose any of the others. I use all Audience AU24se cables including digital coax and my system sounds amazing. Other components at home by Aesthetix, Lumin, Audio Note, Sonus Faber, Luxman, Canary, Line Magnetic, LFD & more. This Canor for $4K is a wildly solid deal. I could have paid more and received much less so although $4K isn't inexpensive, in my instance, it has been money very well spent. Only slight bummer is that I wanted one in silver and they were unavailable at the time of purchase - black has grown on me though.

These guys say it all better than I: https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/canor-audio-dac-2-10/

Just my experience.

@brbrock - Yes, nice black background, especially compared to my previous DAC which was a Denafrips Pontus II.  It is USB only though so you'd have to figure out away around that or move up to the X.

@bill_k 

PineTree Audio braided USB cable. I think it was well worth the investment and I'm typically a skeptic on these things.

https://sites.google.com/view/pine-tree-audio/digital/banshee-usb-2-0

@danager Would you please share what USB cable Mojo recommends? TIA

@brbrock 

It's been quite the journey

Started with the Allo Piano DAC with the clocker card

Then the MHDT Orchid with the 6922 tube adapter

To the PS Audio Mk1

To the Mojo Mystique SE.  I just updated to the USB cable recommended by Mojo and it sounds fantastic.  The musical presence is palatable and by FAR the best DAC OF the bunch and better than the others I've heard in the stores.

@tom2441 I am interested in the mojo Y.  Does it have a really black background.  I am also wanting to hook up my TV sometimes to watch movies but not sure if that will somehow be possible.  

@danager What DAC's did you have before the Mojo?

I’ve owned shitt yygy, Denafrips Pontus and terminator. Nothing bad about any of them they all, had their pluses. However the Holo spring may Kte stopped me from looking. Great build and looks. Does not get in the way of the music. Might be better out there, but is good enough.

I just upgraded my DAC from the Denafrips Pontus II to the new Mojo Audio Mystique Y AM DAC.  I am using USB only from a Innuos Pulse and really appreciated the logic Benjamin outlines on his website about not needing a lot of extra "stuff" if you are only using USB so why pay for it. It is still burning in but the degree of soundstage width and depth is a dramatic improvement over the Pontus.  Another step closer to rivaling my analog front end!

https://www.mojo-audio.com/mystique-y-am-d-a-converter/

I went through a lot of DACs before I landed on the Holo May KTE.

It's paired with the Holo Serene preamp and I find it has exceptional clarity, good vibrance and loads of musicality. Really easy to listen to for a long time.

Have a read a couple of recent re-reviews and it's sill holding it own nicely.

A entry level streamer + DAC made by a Chinese company has been reviewed well recently, Eversolo DMP-A6. And the high-end models A8 and A10 are worthwhile to try too.

@invalid 

The Space Tech Labs DAC was on my consideration list and I've actually heard one at Al's shop.  It was very good as is all of his stuff but I wasn't sure I wanted a Tube DAC. 

To be honest what sold me on the Mojo was his white paper about DACs.  I liked what he said and his explanations correlated with what I was hearing.  45 day return policy, built like a truck in America and it pairs so nicely with the SPT passive preamp and  the SPT hybrid tube amp.  I'm really happy with the sound. 

Speakers on the other hand...  not a lot of places in the northwest carry large horn speakers.  There is a place that have the Jubilee on display but it's either the room, the electronics driving them or the combination or just the speakers but they don't sound anywhere near as good as they should for the money they're asking and in their listing space a huge step backward from what I'm hearing at home.

If you're getting a bit too OCD central with dacs in 2025, it implies that you have a horrid room  (sonically) and/or the wrong speakers.

@danager I'm surprised you haven't looked into the space tech lab dacs.

Glad you shared this here on this thread, @lancelock. This was my point. 

A few of us brought our DACs to Dave Raden’s for a blind shoot-out. We had a lot of fun, and this was more difficult than I had thought. Only Dave Raden knew which DAC was playing, and his switchbox worked well for this. Among the contenders were the LTA Aero, Denafrips Pontus II, HOLO Audio Spring 3 R2R, and the very expensive Grimm Audio MU2. The results were unanimous. The Aero DAC was the winner by a slim margin. The Holo Audio was close to the Aero, and the Denafrips Pontus was in last place. The quality differences between these DACS were closer than I would have thought.

@romanesq I won't be listening to music thru the TV just movies.  I do realize that my equipment is overkill for TV but might as well use it watching movies.  

@rkfaberdds Most of the DAC's I'm interested in are R2R DAC's.  Thank you for the info about Hifi Rose.  I have not checked into their equipment but have definitely seen people talk about them on the forum.  I will look more into them.

As you are confronting, there is ever-expanding world of high-performance digital-to-analog converters (DACs), there are numerous options ranging from $1,900 to well over $30,000. After an extensive auditioning process, I have two standout recommendations that deliver exceptional sound quality at their respective price points.

Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC (with Ray Reserve Tubes)

The first and most compelling choice is the LTA Aero DAC equipped with upgraded Ray Reserve tubes. This DAC embodies the warmth, depth, and natural tonality that tube-based designs are known for, yet it retains an impressive level of detail and transparency. With its refined presentation, expansive soundstage, and lifelike imaging, the Aero DAC effortlessly competes with significantly more expensive options.

Denafrips Pontus 15

For those seeking a near-reference-level R-2R DAC at a more accessible price, the Denafrips Pontus 15 is a stellar option. Representing a substantial upgrade over the Pontus 12, the Pontus 15 has been favorably compared by some reviewers to its more expensive sibling, the Venus, in terms of tonal accuracy, dynamics, and resolution. While it doesn't quite match the Aero in organic richness, it comes remarkably close, especially after an extensive burn-in period.

Critical Considerations: USB and Burn-In

To extract the best performance from either of these DACs, USB cable selection is crucial. While the Cardas USB is serviceable, an upgrade to something like the WyWires Platinum USB can be transformative, unveiling greater clarity, microdynamics, and soundstage depth.

Burn-in is another essential factor:

The LTA Aero DAC requires at least 200 to 300 hours of continuous playback before reaching its full sonic potential.

The Denafrips Pontus 15 arrives with 100 hours of factory burn-in but needs 500 hours or more to fully settle, with continued refinement over time.

@brbrock I don’t have a comment on DACs, but I do commend you on your choice of amp. I have the same one.

brbrock, I just added a used Denafrips Terminator to my setup and stream via Wiim Ultra. Although the DAC is 4 years old it is fabulous to my ears. It replaced a Cambridge 851N that broke twice. The Terminator brings more detail and much broader soundstage. I went with the Denafrips based upon numerous reviews and because I prefer the vale of used I was not able to demo any other DAC’s.

My other components:

McCormack DNA 0.5 amplifier

Manley Jumbo Shrimp preamplifier

Kef 104.2 speakers

Last year at this time I was in your same position and I was guided into my ultimate purchases by advice given here.  It is impossible to hear everything let alone hear the units connected to your existing components(synergy).

I ended up with a HiFi Rose 250 with a Denafrips Venus2 12th DAC.  Denafrips is uncanny good in my system.  Therefore, if you’re interested in their T2, I would predict you’ll love it for the $$ value.  If I A-B the Denafrips vs the Rose internal DAC it’s obvious that the Denafrips is worth every penny.

There are other R-R DACs that people seem to love.  Personally I have listened to high end chip DACs connected in my system (Aurender & Lumin)  & I would choose an R-R over a chipset due to their unique sonic qualities.  However the Denafrips is the only one I connected to my gear.

I can also endorse the Rose as a streamer and have been very pleased with their App as on-par with Aurenders.  The app is incredibly important in terms of your overall experience.  Both of the aforementioned are superior to Lumin & Goldnote.

You’re running audio through your TV, correct? Well, this is a lot of overkill because your system is limited through a TV using toslink. Know this very well as I’ve done similar over the years.

Very familiar with SMC Audio and I owned their Rev. A DNA 300 amp (with carbon wire upgrade) which is stellar. Had sold it leading to a move but it was fantastic. Based on your system, I don’t think you are going to achieve the best results with high end DACs vs. available excellent DACs.

You can maybe try out a couple of used DACs like an AKM version of the RME ADI-2 or a Chord Qutest for not too much versus many of these named in the thread here.

You may be more surprised that they perform on par with some of the others listed here for your system. An audio system is the sum of everything (room, synergy, etc.) and people often forget that especially how the amplifier is such a primary, critical driver overall.

Best of luck on your audio journey.

@tonyrox I am a fan of Benchmark gear and now own the DAC3B and HPA4 now. I owned the AHB2 many times. I found that adding the LA4 or HPA4 preamp to be a big improvement over the DAC3 HGC, which I owned long ago. I think the preamp is the best component Benchmark makes.

@brbrock I owned one of the Audio Mirror DAC (maybe V3) in the past. It is a warm-ish DAC and not the highest in resolution. The Musetec 005 DAC was also a warm-ish DAC but with more details. The new 006 seems to have improved on the details that I found a bit of a weak point on the 005.

I use a Benchmark DAC3 HGC as both a DAC and preamp, feeding a Benchmark AHB2 Amp.  VPI turntable, Oppo 103 for ripping SACD's, an old Pioneer CDR, and a desktop computer for Tidal and JRiver. 

The Holo Audio is excellent.  I love the sound and it’s very well built.  

@ghdprentice I am definitely keeping the preamp.  The amp is a decendent of the SMC Audio VRE-1.  

@scp I am really interested in the Audio Mirror DAC and one of the Mojo Audio DAC's.  The Mojo Audio DAC's don't have TOSLINK.  Both have excellent parts and great reviews. 

OP, 

Yes you want to keep the preamp. Only in very few and specific systems does a preamp not significantly improve the sound. Great preamps are a part of nearly all great systems. 

I have the Audio Mirror Tubadour V and was drawn to it because of the tubes. I dont have any experience with any of the others but the Holo Audio May KTE was on my short list as well. After reading about the tubadour..it just tripped my trigger. Vlad the owner is very accessable and answered my questions and was a dream to work with. I am sure if you reach out to him...you will be impressed...he knows about other dacs and may be able to answer comparisons on some of them. 

What impressed me was the quality of parts used.  Lundahl  transformers, Vishay resistors,GAIA isolation feet, Furutech gold IEC inlet, built-in USB re-clocker..just a lot of attention to detail. 

Needless to say I am a very happy camper.

@dbb also I have been streaming directly from my laptop to the mustec 006 Dac with a 15 f6 AQ usb cable from YouTube music ( i know it's temporary)  putting in an order for their innuos pulsar and network switch .

 @@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.

@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.

@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.

@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.

@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.

Emotiva XDA-3 for $700 brand new.

You can shop for a DAC that provides all of the inputs you currently need.  Alternatively, you can shop for a DDC that provides the necessary inputs and outputs in the preferred format for whatever DAC you choose.  You would then switch inputs via the DDC, instead of the DAC.  The first option is simpler and probably less costly, and if you choose a DAC with volume control, puts all the user controls in one box.  The second option may have more flexibility and the potential for improved performance.

@hasmarto I am glad you told me the price of those tubes. They seems very affordable. What did you upgrade from? Have you had another Audio mirror DAC? The Tubadour ivse is quite a bit less in price and wondering if there is a huge difference in sound.

@danager That did cross my mind to get 2 DAC’s. A inexpensive DAC and the Mystique y. Benjamin talked about getting a $30 adapter to convert toslink to AES in the mystique X. Have you ever tried to listen to movies thru your mystique. I bet their isn’t a difference in sound because of the TV source.

@vettegood I have not even looked at the Hugo TT but I have heard about it. I will have to check it out.

@carlsbad2 I have already purchased the preamp and it is exceptional.  So the good thing is I don't need volume control in a DAC.

I’ve been using the AM Tubadour V for about a year, averaging 4-6 hours of use per day, and it’s still performing flawlessly. Its tubes are readily available on eBay from former Soviet republics. A pair of 6S45P tubes costs around $40, and the 6Ц4Р-ЕВ rectifier is priced at approximately $5.I’ve purchased several sets from sellers in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The unit is certainly not a tube-eater.