Streamer/DAC

wsrrsw - Looks interesting, I found a new T2, in silver for $3350, just have to do some reading.

soix - nice combo too!

The only thing that I worry about is how easy are these music servers to use? 

Loved Sonos (but lo rez), loved Roon, but don't want the monthly fee (on top of a music service) and loved using my PC, all easy to use!

I did fork out some big bucks for a Wyred 4 Sound MS1 music server a few years back, but it was so difficult to use, I ended up selling it.

Not sure the iFi Stream is something I’d wanna “live with forever.”  Another option would an Innuos Zen Mk3 and a Musician Pegasus DAC that’d come in at $4k and allow you to load all your CDs so all your music is available from one source.  Just another option FWIW, and best of luck. 

This is a Lumin T2...a very good value...in one box

jimd7000-Thanks, if it was only in silver!

The DMS-700 listed on Audiogon is under $4,500.

One not mentioned here that you should also check out is the Gold Note DS-10. I am happy with mine.

Naim also updates their own firmware. 

A number of DACs/streamers/combination DAC-streamers are physically modular, i.e. are upgradable. I tend to favor these. Sonnet, Bricasti, totaldac, aqua, MSB come to mind. So you don't have to dump/sell the box, if you want to update them.

FPGA DACs such as dCS and PS Audio can receive firmware updates over time, which is also a nice feature.

Here ya go. 

DAC = SALAD.

I just finished choosing my new to me CD Player with internal DACs (I don’t stream). I finally got lucky, couldn’t be happier.

I realized, these units are like Salads, main ingredient, with additives: chosen DAC(s), over-sampling, filters, anti-jitter, re-clock, vector shaping, ..... and the resultant sound is based on the mix as much as the chosen processor(s). And that resultant output mixed into your system/space.

Normally you cannot remove the additives, but a whole crowd of ’upgrading’ the additives exists.

Like any Phono Stage, I highly recommend trial/return privledges for DAC Salads.

With the help of this thread and all of your advice, I am tending to lean towards a Denafrips Pontus DAC and an ifi Stream for a total of $2900. Will this sound as good as a Cary DMS – 700? At half the price I guess I'll never know!

I'm still open to suggestions!

Depending on what you need, an interesting solution could be the Chord Hugo 2 and 2Go combination.  These are separate devices that literally screw together.  The 2Go is a very nice streamer and I use the 2Go/2Yu separately with another system.  

This is on your budget.  Is very good sounding and if the Hugo 2 is replaced, there is a strong potential, it is likely the new unit would work with the 2Go.  The Mojo2 is coming and the Poly will work with it.  The other novelty is the device is completely portable and has a better than expected preamp stage and headphone amp in it.  

I use this combination all the time personally.  It is not quite in the same league as some of the more expensive DACs like the Bricasti M3 with Network Card but it is als $4K vs. $6.5k to $7.5k depending on features.  

I am obvioulsy a Chord and Bricasti dealer

tuberist - so, whadda ya got?

High,

I went the route you are thinking. I used to have a rack full of boxes

yowser - thanks, l'll check it out!

I went with the one box option, a Cary DMS-700. I tend to keep audio equipment about 20 years, so it IS my forever streamer/DAC at my age. It’s over your budget but worth considering if you can get to $6K, and you’ll save the cost of an extra cable. I believe there’s a used one for $5K on Audiogon right now.  And it is a R2R DAC.

From Cary:

While the DAC is made by AKM as it was in previous generations players, in DMS-700 Cary Audio uses not a Delta-Sigma bitstream chip but a R2R (ladder) DAC. R2R architecture is tricky to implement so we designed a ‘support’ code-based DAC extension, programmed in a FPGA chip.

Thanks Bob, for your comments (on both threads). I am sending emails out to some manufacturers asking if the DACs on there are combination units are upgradable. I will narrow it down from there.

One disadvantage is that I presume that there is not much chance of upgrading the DAC in a combo like this, so as technology changes you with miss the buss or fork out for new.

Your comment speaks for itself.

If you are looking to get the best and keep up with innovations, then buying a separate DAC and streamer is the way to go. And, some manufacturers have built in 'upgradability' of their units.

Bob