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Mola Mola Tambaqui or Denafrips Terminator Plus?

I need to pull the trigger, but there’s no opportunity to audition them. So far my thinking is:

Terminator Plus $6,700
+ Good reviews, lots of them
+ DAC only, no budget wasted on volume control, remote, etc.
+ Buy direct from distributor, no dealer mark-up
+ Tambaqui is 40% more expensive
- Less well-know Chinese manufacturer

Tambaqui $9,500
+ Good reviews, but fewer than Terminator Plus
+ Relatively cheap in my market
+ Very reputable manufacturer
- Sold through dealer network, increased mark-up
- Comes with volume control, pre amp, ethernet, bluetooth and remote which I don’t use

I’ve considered the dCS Bartok, but the Tambaqui seems to beat it while being 30% cheaper.

I listen to Tidal through a Roon Nucleus. Two channel, no headphones.
Amp: Dan D’Agostino Momentum Integrated. Speakers: Focal Stella Utopia Evo.

Anyone heard both? Any help with this decision is much appreciated.

P.S. In the next few years I’ll try to audition a more "end game" DAC to match the rest of the system. For now it’s Tambaqui or Terminator Plus.
robert1976
robert1976 OP
75 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara
Thanks for the input.
I suspect the Tambaqui is way newer; the earliest mentions online are from 2019. So it’s a modern design. Bruno having left the team is a downside, I agree.
@g9taylor My gear hasn’t arrived yet. Ask me again in May. After everything has settled and run in.
jaytor's avatar
jaytor
766 posts
 
I have had my Terminator Plus for a little over a week. I upgraded from a Terminator that had for about 10 months. I added a Denafrips Gaia to my Terminator about a month ago. This was a significant improvement to the Terminator. 

My T+ is still breaking in, so I don't know how much better it's going to get, but after a week it has now easily surpassed the Terminator, which I thought was a great DAC. The biggest difference I've noticed is that recordings that I had previous thought were just not very good are now much more listenable with considerably more detail. 

If you decide on the Terminator Plus, I strongly recommend adding the Gaia. I haven't actually tried the Terminator Plus without it, but the improvement with the Terminator was so dramatic that I would expect it to be a well worthwhile addition to the T+, particularly since these two devices were designs specifically to work together. 

I have never heard the Tambaqui, so I can't comment on any comparison. 
willgolf
939 posts
 
I considered the Mola Mola as I had the Kaluga and Makua but decided on Lumin X-1.  Phenomanl DAC / Streamer all in one.  I am ow upgrading to Lampi Pacific.  Lumin has a great app, beautiful sound.  You should check it out.  Send a private email if you want to know more about mine that I will sell once the Pacific comes in.
joyck88
3 posts
 
I had.. audio byte vox, schiit yaggy, audiogd r8he, terminator, doge 7, with cascade mutec mc3 with se120 clock.     Among all, T plus stood out  in performance, significant jump from all the good dacs that I have previously owned.    With T plus with Gaia..is another level. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS69JSfI-m8  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUxI1j3zQPY
I do have some samples but from my systems.

For the source.. I don't think you can go wrong with T plus.  
robert1976 OP
75 posts
 
@jaytor 
Thanks, that helps a lot. For fun, you could play the Terminator Plus without the Gaia, just to hear the difference.

So the Gaia is purely a reclocker to remove noise? Would you expect me to hear a difference when streaming from my Roon Nucleus?
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