Higher End DACs

Kren0006 is spot on. If you have what we used to call a ‘colored’ front end you will end up trying to return to neutral at some point which becomes a slippery slope. Do you then buy a brighter than neutral amp or cables? The very best components should absolutely be neutral and rich in detail. ‘warm’ generally means rolled off or soft etc. Let the source material dictate the neutrality. What to do with a ‘warm’ recording played back on a ‘warm’ system? boring, which is the last thing you want. IMO only

I have to agree with lalitk. I didn’t want to bring up the MAC thing either but it looms large in this decision. 

@ufguy73, The key words in @lalitk’s post above is "you will figure out which way to go ONLY by listening to all the aforementioned recommendations in YOUR system”.  You received over 200+ responses to your question containing many different comments and component solutions.   In addition, many of these components are at different price levels and configurations (i.e., DAC only or DAC/Preamp). 

Everyone's opinion is important, and interesting, but it is YOUR system, YOUR environment, YOUR ears and YOUR money.   As was stated, I ALSO recommend you audition some components that best match your needs.   This is the only way you are going to know what sounds best to you.  

I do not know if you are buying new or preowned.   If you are buying a new component, you need to find a retailer that understands your needs and will assist you to demo the components needed to make a decision.   If possible, for the best results, you should schedule a home audition.  

I had a very helpful retailer that allowed me to take home some integrated amplifiers to hear.  I returned the 1st amp, returned the 2nd amp and kept the 3rd amplifier.    Listening in your home system is the best way to make a decision on what component to purchase.  

In addition, some manufacturers, like SimAudio, have an offer that for any new SimAudio equipment you bought NEW, they will CREDIT you 100% of your $$ investment if you purchased the unit in the last 12 months, and 75% in the last 12-24 months.   This offer enables you to listen at home for up to one year and return it for another unit, if needed.  I had my SimAudio 2nd amp for about 6 months and then replaced it with another SimAudio amp.     

@ufguy73 

There's absolutely nothing wrong with your McIntosh system, you must have enjoyed it for some time now not only do you have people suggesting $35,000 streaming dacs and $5000 reclockers but saying you need to sell off what you have and start over. Auralic, Lumin, Innous, Aurrender as well as other streamers in the $7K- $12K range will give you great sound. Ones cheaper than those will as well. I have no doubt an uber expensive  streamer dac will provide you with a great listening experience but once the noise, jitter, distortion is below human hearing and a $2200 Benchmark DAC3 will do that the rest is eye candy and hyperbole. I'll  get flack for saying all this but try something like an Auralic Vega G2 for $6500, forget what they cost and just listen to streamers in that range against the others costing 4 times as much as then ask yourself are they even 5 % better? 

All those who chimed in saying ‘non-MQA support would be a deal breaker’.....while I respect their opinion, I would not discard any DAC/Streamer choices solely based on this feature. With ‘right’ components, Tidal HiFi and Qobuz Hi-Res files upto 24bit/196kHz sounds pretty amazing.

To my ears, MQA files sound slightly unnatural and bit ‘hot’ in upper frequency range. And we have yet to see universal support from the manufacturer of DA converters.

I can’t imagine anyone turning down T+A SDV3100 HV or EMM Labs DA2 just because they don’t support MQA 😊