Under $3K streaming dac suggestions, Roon Ready?

eziggy82

I enjoyed your review of the 4 Streamer/DACs. I need help with your comment about the Lumin T2, “ would recommend it UNLESS you have a very transparent system”.  I have the following: Pass Labs x150.8 amp, Martin Logan Expression ESL 13A electrostatic speakers, and Marantz AV7703 preamp (whose Dac I will bypass with a new streamer/dac). This could be classified as a transparent system; I am not sure how transparent “very transparent” is but it might fit this category.

I have a few questions:
Why would a more neutral and transparent sounding Lumin T2 be a disadvantage over the other dacs?
What is the meaning of “too transparent”, not your words but mine?
If less transparent is an advantage, what would your second choice DAC be and why?

For anyone else reading this inquiry, I would love to hear your experienced input. I am in the market for any do-it-all streamer/dac/MQA for less than $6000. Feel free to give any opinion and why.

Thanks to all.

+1 on stretching your budget and getting the T2 (and with an external power supply it jumps up a tad more)..a serious bit of gear.

An inexpensive way (not with poor sound) would be to get a Schiit dac and plug into that something from an iPad, computer, etc. https://www.schiit.com

@firstonetallguy, I should have added “neutral” and transparent.  The T2 is on the neutral side, so if your system is neutral then it may be too much of the same thing, which some people
may like. Totally a matter of preference.

It doesn’t seem like your system is super neutral so the T2 may be a good fit.  The other thing to mention is that I compared the T2 to my Marantz 8805 and found the Marantz to be warmer, a littler fuller sounding, and had a tad wider soundstage though less accurate (using HEOS and Tidal).  The T2 had higher resolution, was crisper, and was more accurate.  Marantz in general is on the warmer side.  Though the 8805 has a different architecture than the 7703, the 8805 has dedicated HD boards.

If you do end up keeping the Marantz as your preamp, then make sure you use the multi-channel inputs since those are the only ones that pass a direct untouched signal.  PM if you want to discuss further.

I found a used DMS500 at Cary.com for under 2k, first time I've spent  on digital in a long while, my music room has had just  a TT for the last 5 years. I'm hoping as a Roon endpoint it will be a tidy digital music solution. I'll post back after listening, should get here tomorrow, probably as excited as I was before my Dynavector XV1T arrived. This box seems to be the real deal based on the reviews and forums I've read. Even gonna try to rip my hirez discs for streaming. Too much stuff is not on Vinyl that I want to listen to in hifi, that being said also more great vinyl coming out than I ever could have imagined. AAA Soup, the new Blakely lp. Good music times

Hey Robert
What did you ever decide on?