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Options for $1k or less DAC?

Hi Everyone,

My current setup:
Spotify Connect -> HiFi Berry Dac w/ hifiberryOS -> Bottlehead Crack w/ speedball -> Sennheiser 6xx 

I'd like to replace the hifiberry with a better DAC and switch over to Amazon Music HD to get increased quality of 24/192.  I recently purchased a S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MK II was was *floored* by the difference in sound between the 2 setups. 

My expectation is that the differences are mostly related to DAC with Spotify already streaming at 320bps.  The differences that show up between streaming services / quality is likely minimal.

My requirements are minimal to start with:
USB input
Analog Out
Nice to have:  Filters, more than 1 output.

So, where do I go from the Sanskrit?  

  
128x128martinman
mofojo
2,288 posts
 
See some NAD M51s around for well under 1k. I'm kinda eying them myself.
calvinandhobbes
301 posts
 
+1 on the Denafrips Ares II. The one caveat is that to my ears there might be some harshness, but less harshness than many other DACs under $1k from reviews I've read (i.e., Topping D90 as a prime example of a DAC with the opposite type of sound from the Denafrips DACs).

Also, my impressions are that the Ares can sound better with certain USB cables & power cords. I’ll start off by saying that I was skeptical of the sonic benefits of USB cables and especially of the effect of a power cord on a DAC, but listened with an open mind. I was loaned several USB cables (and bought some decent but inexpensive USB cables) and several power cords. The USB cable that sounded best was a Phasure Lush (https://stordiau.com/products/lush-usb-audio-cable-70cm) that seems to reduce the Ares’ tendency toward some sibiliance. The power cord that sounded best was a Synergistic UEF Black (https://www.synergisticresearch.com/cables/coreuef/uef-black/)Again, this power cord also seemed to reduce any perceived harshness from the Ares perhaps by either adding less electrical noise or perhaps by better channeling of electrical noise away from the DAC. I’m impressed by the Ares II, but am considering getting a Denafrips Pontus for slightly more refinement than the Ares II (and so I might be able to avoid spending $400-500 on cables to get something that sounds as good as the Ares II / Phasure Lush USB cable / Synergistic Research UEF Black power cord combination is currently sounding).
martinman's avatar
martinman OP
93 posts
 
Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.  

fwiw, just wanted to update everyone on the decision.  I ended up going with the "tone board":
https://www.khadas.com/tone

At just $100 + $5 for the enclosure, its worth an audition.  Reviewers seem to like it (alot), and it punches way above its weight class.  The Tone V2 adds a few more options, I might look at that too once it's released.  You can even add a separate "VIM" board to turn it into a DIY streamer of sorts.  


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