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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? 

terrapin77
grossman616
123 posts
 

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!!

 

 

 

 

fmzip's avatar
fmzip
12 posts
 

@terrapin77

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

 

 

phantom_av's avatar
phantom_av
326 posts
 

Playback Design Dream Series Dacs, if you wish to stop the merry go round

Very Musical, ultra low Fatigue for a Digital System, Using propertery connection No USB. Designed by a Audio Legend.

 

Did i say Very Musical? I prefered this Dac to DCS and MSB.

 

Wadax? Not sure never heard priced over 150K ++ for Streamer and DAC, What happens in 5 years with the Tech?

 

 

wideload's avatar
wideload
147 posts
 

Personally, I can’t wait to hear the new Mojo Audio DAC coming out soon. The last couple of iterations have been musically satisfying and engaging. Ben says the latest one is quite a bit more refined

chorus
976 posts
 

I sold my AudioMirror Tubadour recently replacing it with a Pontus 2.

I had the Ares last year and enjoyed it but felt I had "cheated out" 

and should move up.

Bottom line- The Audio Mirror Sound is perhaps less detailed

but just as enjoyable as the Pontus. 

The Holo May is priced with the Terminator so these are about double

the other models being discussed.

 

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