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Best used or new DAC under $3500

What would be the best DAC for under $3500, new or used? I currently use the Chord Dave and I LOVE it. However, I'm looking to downgrade to save some dough. Some reference points:

1) Yggdrasil:  Sold it as the staging was too narrow/flat and it seemed a little lifeless
2) Ayre QB-9 DSD: Feel its a bit too bright/tizzy - at this point I'm done trying Sabre DACs.

Can anyone recommend a DAC that is not a mainstream sabre chip based DAC? I dont mind it if its an older generation or vintage DAC either - Just something I can get for under $3500. I don't want a discussion to defend Sabre DACs please.

Thanks!

jozurr
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hi jozurr,
+1 your comments. Continue to trust what "you" hear,  just because someone raves about a certain DAC/component doesn’t mean you’ll have the same result or opinion regarding it. As this thread is demonstrating there are many excellent options available for consideration. The Yiggy or Ayre may very well appeal to other listeners yet fail to impress you. There’s nothing unusual about that at all. Again just trust your own ears and judgement.
Charles
4425
861 posts
 
You owe it to yourself to look into the Mytek Manhattan series one used(around 3k). Feature set, build quality and sound are competitive with units much more expensive. It would not be out of place in a very high end system. I don’t own one but have had much exposure to it. The company has a few bugs but the product is special. 
jond's avatar
jond
5,860 posts
 
jozurr well said only you can say what you like and why, trust those ears. And another nice looking DAC popped up in the listings last night.......

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/da-converters-abbingdon-music-research-dp-777-2018-01-05-digital

Looks like a pretty fantastic deal and only half your budget. No affiliation and I am a bit confused at the lack of willingness of some to buy used, and highly depreciated, DACs.
nitewulf
422 posts
 
If you like the PS Audio DSD DAC, then you should DEFINITELY find a used one below $3500, I'm not even sure what's the thread is about at this point. We mentioned plenty of r2r options besides the Yggy below $3500.
rodge827's avatar
rodge827
620 posts
 
I have had many Dacs and CD players over the years and currently own a Digital Amplifier Company (DAC) HS DAC. It plays very close to the way tricked out ANK 2.1b Sig Dac I once owned. With the cost of the kit and all of the BG caps, AN Silver coupling caps, AN Tantalum resistors, NOS tubes, AN IV transformers...I had north of 4k into it. The HS DAC DAC is very close at 1/4 the cost.

http://www.cherryamp.com/dac-dac-d-to-a-convertor
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