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
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
I have the Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE and love it.  In an ideal world I would have done a shootout between it, the Orchid, and Jolida's Black Glass FX Tube DAC DSD. 

The AM has been loved by everyone who tried it here... https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/another-new-dac-audio-mirror 

The Orchid became Terry London's (teajay) reference piece after he reviewed it...  https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/mhdtlab/

And the Jolida/Black Glass is a crazy good value at $649 (check the dealer ads on USAMart), and won a recent audio club DAC shootout vs some much more expensive equipment...  https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/dac-it-out-shootout-august-24th-saturday-11-3pm-scottsdale-az
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
I chose the Tubadour because it had an I2S input and I view that as the single best way to get music into a DAC.  Bought a Magna Mano streamer to accomplish that goal and love the combination.

P.S.  I really wish I could test these vs. two big boys (the Chord Dave, and Bricasti M3).  If anyone's in the front range area and would like to compare DACs, I'd love to...
needfreestuff's avatar
needfreestuff
572 posts
 
Lks DAC da004
ediaz3
21 posts
 
rme-adi dac2+++

have this in my system with node2i streamer and sounds great, night and day difference between node2i dac and ADI2.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
You can get a used Ayre Codex for around $1100.
More to discover