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MHDT Orchid or Audio Mirror/ pick one for me please

I have been looking around at my first streaming system ever, never even owened a dac. I have owned a Ezemplar Audio tube Denon 2900 and Exemplar tube Oppo 105 for the last 15 years, others have come and gone these always stayed. I mostly listen to records. I have been looking at dac's for a couple months and these are the 2 tube dac's I am considering. Solid state I looked at RME, Border Patrol, Ayre, Mytek, Chord and others. I like how the Orchid can except so many tubes and likes mods. Audio Mirror looks interesting I understand maybe more detail,  which is important. Both are in my price range, I want to start out slow and not spend to much on first purchase in streaming. I will also need a cheap streamer. Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kind of lost!!
paulcreed
abd1
156 posts
 
Glad I found this topic. I have a PS Audio Directstream Jr. and like it. Been curious to try a NOS dac. Was reading about SW1X, Audio Mirror, Border Patrol, Orchid, etc. I’m just wondering if these are an improvement over the DSJr.? SW1X Level 2 Special or Level 3 STD. peaked my interest but others sound good at a lower price. The Audio Mirror TSE sounds like it uses some top tier parts like dueland caps. Anyway, if anyone has experience with the DSJr. and these NOS dacs I’d be curious to hear your experiences. 
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@abd1 I had a Directstream dac with the bridge 2 for two months. I strongly prefer the Audio mirror. 

That said, the DSD dac does something in it's signal processing that simply doesn't work for my ears. I had a Perfectwave for many years and twice tried to upgrade it to the DSD. Both times I sold the unit and went back to the pwd. Not sure if there's some phase issues or something that my speakers and I are particularly sensitive to or what, but it just doesn't work for me. Given all the positive experiences people report with it, I have to assume there's something special going on in my auditory system. 

Anyway, I truly adore my AMT3se and highly recommend it. It sounds so much more like real music to me than the psa units, and as I said above, I also loved my Perfectwave.
snopro
390 posts
 
I had a Directstream Dac Senior for a couple years then I bought a Denafrips Terminator. Which I liked better, but tried a AM Tubadour IIIse and thought it sounded better out of all of them. It has the smoothness of the DS and the prat of the Terminator. Plus really nice tone and timbre and just has a natural flow about it.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
I should probably mention that I was referring to a DS Sr as well...

And I'll second everything @snopro said above, but also add that it has a lovely holographic soundstage as well. Above all, it just sounds right.
desktopguy
356 posts
 
I have the Orchid and like it a lot. I've rolled tubes, with slight improvements each time, but nothing earth-shaking. Stock, it sounds great. This is my 2nd NOS DAC. I dislike D/S & will only have multibit or NOS now.

Another factor that nobody seems to mention: the MHDT Labs Orchid is very compact, <1/2 the footprint of many other DACs, including the AM. That really matters in my space-constrained desktop system. 
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