new Meitner MA3 hit the rack today

Good review so far, and looking forward to hearing more about it.

I'm also a turntable first kind of guy, and recently bought an EMM Labs DAC2X V2 and NS1 Streamer (the two units connected by Meitner's Optilink).  His stuff is just special, probably because he gets that the "A" pat of the D/A process is essential.

Since you have Qobuz, here is a track to try - Snarky Puppy's "Sintra."  Listen when the woodwinds come in after the intro.  Listen for the small percussion instruments in the background.  If you A/B between a lesser DAC and the EMM, the differences are just unreal.  Another track that I noticed wholesale differences (and don't laugh) is Taylor Swift's "August" from her Folklore album.  There is so much going on in that track...low fi, high fi, layered vocals...and as much as I heard through my system both through my prior Lampizator DAC and on the vinyl version, the EMM took things to a whole different level, especially with the NS1 in the chain.

Enjoy the new toy!

Agreed, there's just something about his stuff that just seems to work. I was looking to see if I could score one on the used market, but they don't come up often and when they do, they're gone like beer in a college fridge.

I have hear the Bartok and Vivaldi, and the Select version of the MSB in other rooms but also with wilson front end and while very nice, i actually prefer the MA3.  it's apples/oranges, but I'm not going to get on the DAC merry-go-round.  At that level they are all of similar cloth, and you'd have to spend a ton more to get 'more', whatever that is.  I'd rather save the cash and pay for a Qobuz subscription for the next 350 years or every last subscription that acoustic sounds puts out between now and my death bed!  

Hi,
could anyone compare the Meitner MA3 and the Meitner MA1 v2?

A quick post here to echo the thoughts from @73cuttysupreme - very few mentions of the Meitner MA3 on this board, or in the press generally. I had the chance to home audition it this weekend and it is stellar. 100% engagement with the music -- I forgot about lunch it was so good. Not warm, not cold, just right and natural --  great dynamics, timing, timbre, transparency, linearity and whatever other category you care to name. Not quite as alive as the $50k analog setup I A/B'ed it with, but  close enough that I suspect many folks wouldn't care about the difference in exchange for the convenience.

It's the only DAC in the ~$10k range that made me seriously consider selling my current DAC. If you're looking for a network-capable DAC and it's in your budget, I'd highly recommend a home audition.

 

Agreed.  I’d be hard pressed to find something more engaging for less than twice that price.  Maybe the Nagra Tube DAC, at 4x the price including PSU, but then you need a streaming box too.    I’ve had mine for what, 10 months now, been flawless, hasn’t even been powered off, it’s been converting bites every day.  I’m sure you’ll end up holding onto it for a longer period of time if you end up writing a check for it.  No plans to look elsewhere anytime soon.