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Aqua La Scala Optologic Mk2 on the cheap, used and sub $3000?

I’ve had a great time with a borrowed Aqua La Scala Optologic in my system. Played with the Antipodes CX / Ex combo (also borrowed) the sound was sublime, palpable and emotionally connected me to the music. Given the evolution of digital and the significant depreciation involved, I’m a real fan of used at the moment.

I picked up a good deal on a 1TB Innuos Zen MKiii. With my current Ayre Codex, it’s decent, but nowhere in the same league as the Aqua. The Aqua design appeals for a couple of other reasons:

1) I believe R2R is a better way forward on PCM, it just sounds right!
2) I’m heavily invested in high Rez (SACD) and I require that ability
3) I firmly believe the more you transform the bits, the more damage you can do the the SQ. Therefore I don’t want to have Roon convert DSD to PCM on the fly. For me, The DAC needs to handle DSD natively.

If it wasn’t for the DSD, a MHDT Orchid modded by Grannyring, or the Tubadour iii SE are highly regarded music makers and easy choices. What then with R2R and native DSD at a more economical used price point? (The La Scala sells for approximately $4k)

Sure there is the Aqua La Voice S3, for the $1000 less used, I’m told the La Scala is the better value in spite of the cost differential. Part of the cost of the Aqua line is on the ability of the boards to be upgraded, the other is labor costs in Italy verses the Orient. Too bad these other guys don’t offer DSD!

I’ve heard the Lampi Amber 3 might be a good choice, though I’ve also heard it’s a little more forward particularly with PCM. Getting the overall timbre color and tonality correct (the meat on the bones if you will) is really important to me, if the DAC gets this right, usually lesser recordings are more listenable. So what else is there?


ianderson
nquery
104 posts
 
@three_easy_payments I haven’t heard the TRP so it might sound less forward than the Amber. But I am unclear how the TRP checks the R2R box? Correct me if I am wrong, but it is similarly DS chip based ?? And even bought used it is >> than op price point of $3k. (Not trying to be argumentative ... )

[EDIT: I now see that the early TRP was originally R2R but Lampi has sinced moved to the 53 Digital Engine for most of their lower end dacs. Is the consensus that the newer 53 digital engine sounds more forward than the prior R2R boards? Because from my reading it seems almost all who have heard both find the 53 chip board better sounding than the R2R board for PCM.
I do see an older R2R Atlantic TRP currently for sale for $4300)]
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@nquery  Ah yes, I see you are correct...they did make the change to engine 53.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,602 posts
 
The Mojo plays his DSD  files and they will sound best thru this dac. So it does play his recordings and plays them sublimely. No need for a DSD dac and the bottom line is the OP’s DSD recordings will simply sound better on the Mojo dac. That is what we are all after ..... the resulting sound and not the technical gymnastics.

The Amber 3 does DSD and was my previous dac. My library also has many DSD recordings and they sounded better through the Mojo dac. Just my experience. 
nquery
104 posts
 
@grannyring the Mojo Audio Mystique V3 does not support DSD! it only supports PCM up to 192 ... the whole ethos is purist PCM and anti-dsd. You even referenced this yourself in another thread ... "The Lampi Amber 3 is more vivid than the Mojo or Orchid and with its DSD capability can sound more detailed and resolving."
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,602 posts
 
The Mojo will play DSD recordings is my point and you know it. No, not in DSD format, but will play them and beautifully. Yes my quote is correct. The Amber was too vivid for me and while great HiFi, it lacks the realism and top to bottom coherence of the Mojo. Not even close.  Over time the vividness, especially DSD, was not enjoyable. Sure it could do all the Aphile sonic gymnastics and impress for a week, but over time I simply could not enjoy my music as much. I found myself not listening to music as much.

The longer I own the Mojo the more I like it and I find myself listening to more music! 

Not a good idea to pull out one sentence and try and suggest something when it clearly lacks the completeness of my combined posts and time with the Amber. 
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