2. digital
  3. 151380-116612

$1300-1500 DAC

I’m thinking of adding an external DAC to my secondary system. I’m running a bluesound node 2i, RCA out to a Schiit freya+, RCA out to an Accuphase P-250 (beautifully restored) amp, to a pair of ascend acoustics Sierra 2ex. It already sounds awesome, but y’all know how this is... I want more. 

Im looking at a Schiit Gungnir Multibit... the price is right and it’s well reviewed. 

I will say that, in my main system I use a Simaudio Moon 280d and it’s awesome. 

Any thoughts? What else should I be looking at? 
andrewkelley
plga
184 posts
 
@andrewkelley what DAC do you have in your main system? You may be surprised by the Audio-gd R8. 

By the way, I have 3 PS Audio Noise Harvesters. The affect the sound very very little, if its not placebo effect. I dont recomend them. 
pastorbob's avatar
pastorbob
79 posts
 
A third vote for the RME 
andrewkelley OP
276 posts
 
@piga  so I had this humming sound in one of my speakers and I tried everything to get noise out of my line including the PS audio Noise harvester of which I have 3,  they were blinking like crazy .  Anyway time went by and I kept trying one more things to get this noise out of my system then one day when I was cleaning out the garage I unplugged one of those bug zapper lights I went back inside to get something to drink and boom Immediately noticed the noise was gone.  I went and looked at my noise harvesters and they had stopped blinking.  The bug zapper was putting DC noise on the line.  I don’t know if they remove noise but I know they can tell you how crummy your electricity is . 

My main system has a Simaudio Moon 280d 
tcatch
37 posts
 
Another vote for Audio Mirror Tubadour.
plga
184 posts
 
@andrewkelley
Have you compared the Simaudio Moon 280D with any good 1.5k DAC?
I believe a good dedicated DAC with a good source should sound better. If not, the Simaudio Moon 280D is a giant killer as, for the price, its a streamer and a DAC.
If not, may be you should think about upgrading your main system with a better streamer + DAC and keep the Simaudio Moon 280D in your second system. It would cost a little more, but you could get better sound in your main system, as I guess could be better. Of course, you would have to change the Bluesound Note for a better sounding bridge like the SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo or the cheaper Sonore Ultrarendu. 
I prefered my SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo + Gustard U16 USB Converter + Audio-gd R8 Ladder DAC combo (about 3.5k total) against a +20k Mark Levinson streamer and DAC and also vs a +20K T+A DAC.
Just an opinion. 
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