Affordable alternativ to the PS Audio DirectStream DAC

jackd:

The Aqua La Voce S2 uses PCM1704-K which is an R-2R ladder that also is used in the renowned Theta and some Wadia DACs. I much prefer this to any Saber-based DAC that I've heard. 

Jburidan, we also sell the Aqua, we have a Formula and a Lascala Mk II on display and we are not going to say they don't sound good.

We would also ask you have you heard a Lumin T2 or an X1.

The X1 is an extraordinary digital product one of the best sounding front ends we have ever heard, it is magical and it also uses a Sabre dac. 

Their are many great dac chips from AKM, Sabre and Burr Brown including the 1796 and the 1792 chips what really matters is not the chip but how you impliment your design. R2R dac chips and the best multi bit chips are sounding more and more alike these days.

However, again, you are basing your love of the Aqua on just the chip the Aqua analog stage is superb.

This discussion is about Streamers both the PS audio and the Lumin are streamers the Aqua Hifi is not a streamer so you can't really bring up one in the same conversation also the new La Voice MK III is $4,750 add in a good server and you are in the $7k or so catagory so not a valid comparison unless you are talking one $7k package vs another.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ 

Martin-anderson ,   Buy a Bluesound Node2 and a great dac like Benchmark 3 DAC for about $2,000.00 which is a Stereophile Class A/ A+ recommended product and as good a DAC as the PS Audio. There are other good standalone streamers, the software and app on the Bluesound is great and never gives you any squabbles. 

Initm, the Benchmark does not sound like any of these dacs.

Benchmark sound is much crisper and hyper detailed, the PS, the Lumin especially running DSD mode, and the Aqua are all in the liquid more musical camp.

If you want a cheap dac that sounds great and is very liquid but not as good as the above the Ifi DSD pro is really amazing for its price point of $2,500.00

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

Audio Doctor

The point here is we don't really know what he is looking for.  He only mentioned the DS Sr. in  the context of it being a DAC and at no time mentioned the Bridge II.  So until he clears up what he wants then we are all just guessing.  As he said he was looking for a lesser priced and similar sounding DAC to the  DS Sr. then the S2 fits the bill and as I said I own both.  Whether that is true of the S3 I won't know until Mark sends it back and it is broken in.  If he wants a streamer/DAC combo then one of the Lumin's with the Wolfson chip fits the bill and yes I have owned one of those too. Whether or not the newer Sabre based units fit the bill I won't guess as I have never heard one and am not selling them.  I would guess on based on hearing them that the AKM based Teac Reference/Esoteric units would come closer.