Chord Dave or Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC???

Hi Paul,
That’s the dilemma with High End audio, so many good choices are available and you can’t hear all of them . Invariably someone will post that the Chord Dave sounds better than the Totaldac in their opinion, just the way it goes 😊
Charles

Which is why it's always nice when people answer the actual question asked instead of turning it into a recommendation thread.

@sc53 
I didn't say that the Ayre was not a nice DAC; simply that it's not in the same league as top tier DACs - which if multiple commentators are to be believed, such top tier includes the Dave.  Since I haven't heard the Dave (as said above, way too many choices these days) I couldn't say one way or another definitively.  In any case, I'm set with what I have now.   Let's see if anyone else has heard both and can add to the discussion.

I hear you charles1dad. However, I have had both the DAVE and the Totaldac here, and it was very clear to me in my 2 channel system that the Totaldac translated much better with a speaker system. With headphones, I am not sure, and I think this is where the DAVE gets allot of its praise. In my system though, I just didn't get it. DAVE was great, no doubt, but not magic like the Totaldac. Magic in that the Totaldac sounded like real musicians playing music in my room with me.

Sorry to recommend another product, but I have experience with one of the DAC's the OP mentioned, and my findings of it vs. another, so I feel that I did nothing wrong.

I didn’t say that the Ayre was not a nice DAC; simply that it’s not in the same league as top tier DACs

@bar81 Have you heard the Ayre?   Is your conclusion based on personal experience?

Hello Paul,
To be clear I wasn't critical of your impression and opinion at all. I just know that someone somewhere will say I've also heard both DACs and chose the Dave over the Totaldac. Based on what I have read and heard about the Totaldacs I don't doubt that it is as you described. 
Charles