Need help choosing a new DAC
With so many options for DACs these days, I'm having a hard time deciding on a new DAC. Currently considering a MHDT Orchid or Pagoda, Denafrips Pontus II, Benchmark DAC3, Schitt Yggdrasil, or Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE. I don't need any options such as volume control, BT, or MQA. I also prefer musicality over measurements. I'm currently using a SMSL SU-9, which will be moved over to my office system. I'm tired of moving it back and forth between systems. My bank account prefers the cost of the Orchid since the other options cost up to twice as much, but I can go as high as $2500. I mostly steam Qobuz thru a Raspberry Pi 4, but also use a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 CD transport on occasion. My preamp is a Don Sachs DS2 tube preamp going into a D-Sonic m3a-1200s amp feeding "Gunned" MMGs. I mostly listen to the Grateful Dead, rock, jazz, and acoustic music. Which DAC should I get and are the any others I should look at?
@tterrapin77 Congratulations!!! You re off to a very good start given your initial listening impression. I believe that it will only improve moving forward. I do not believe that edgy/bright colorations will be an issue with the particular DAC and preamplifier you have. I strongly suspect that this pairing will prove to be exceptionally natural, full tonal body along with very good resolution. Charles |
@ghdprentice Thanks! The person I bought it from said it has around 1000 hours on it. He never used the USB input so that path will need some break in. |
@charles1dad Thanks! Definitely not edgy/bright colorations with the DAC. Other than upgrading the crossovers on my maggies to Peter Gunn's latest recommendation, I'm fairly certain that I have the system that will provide many years of listening enjoyment!! |
I have an MHDT labs Steeplechase 2 for my mac and a Kora Hermes, also tube output, that I absolutely love, for everything else. I have had less than stellar results with the Schitt gear If you ever looked under the hood of an Audio Mirror you wouldn't buy it. The Kora is built by French Aerospace engineers and it looks and sounds it.
I know a lot of people like Audio Mirror, a lot of people drink Budweiser too...
Best of luck!!
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I noticed you said you had no interest in DSD. I too once had that sentiment. I had no music locally stored that was DSD. However, my LKS DAC MH-DA004 was capable of handling DSD512 so I was intrigued to find some of these files to see how good the sound was. Wow what an amazing difference it was. Once I delved down this path, I eventually found that upsampling everything to DSD512 was stellar. I accomplished this through Roon/Tidal/Local/HQPlayer/Mac Mini M1. I really can’t believe how good even mediocre 44K CD rips sound now. I listen to a broad range of music from Classic rock Led Zep Grateful Dead,1960's Jazz, Adele Norah Jones etc. I'd highly suggest trying upsampling, you may like what you hear
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