Tube DAC, be gentle first time

MHDT Havana DAC. If you can find one used it should be within your budget.

Lite Audio Dac60 with NOS tubes and upgraded coupling caps. Compared to PS Audio Perfectwave Dac mkII and it is a toss up. Not kidding.

Thanks for the help. Any one else?
Doug

I also recommend the MHDT Havana, this is a very good dac and with the right tube can really sing. Another Dac that I could recommend is the Eastern Electric Minimax Dac for around $500.00 or the Plus for around $800.00. It has the ability to switch between SS and Tube depending on the sound you are going for.

Another nod for the MHDT.

What about an Audionote?
I think I can get one on my budget.
Doug

Which Audionote are you talking about?
Alan

There is a DAC 1 for sale now ($1000), but I am open to any suggestions. I am not in any hurry.
Doug

Don't take this as critical, it's simply my take. I think you need to look beyond the vacuum tube. I use tubed pre, phono, and mono blocks.

In the DAC world some might say the analogy of solid state and tubed is sampling and non over sampling or NOS, and like everything else not all NOS DACs are the same.

IMO some of the latest DAC designs at all price points are becoming more analog like in their presentation. I would stay away from older designs like the plague.

The key is in doing your own research here, AA, and The Computer Audiophile.

Recently DSD capable DACs capable of high (24/348?) are coming into their own. I know you don't see any practical need for DSD but they seem inherent with other sonic virtues. Mytech comes to mind.

Good luck with it.

I own a Mytek and enjoy it, but I will echo the MHDT comments as well. It's a really musical piece of gear, and I've loved it every time I heard it. I would wait for one to come up here.