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DAC finalist please help

Hi all,
hope everyone is doing well this holiday season.
I’m back on the DAC hunt and I have narrowed down to these different but compelling DAC’s.
Unlike a lot of you guys on Audiogon I’m not a millionaire : (  My budget is only 1,500 bucks but I think there are some good choices in that range.
If any of you folks have experience with any of these pieces I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

I’m replacing a McCormack DAC-1 that I have owned since new.
I still listen and continue to buy Redbook CD’s so something that would be kind to those is important.
I’m trying to make the determination on overall what would work and sound the best.
NOS with tubes is intriguing as is R2R as is just a good chip set.
I’m looking at a Aragon D2A used $600 for redbook playback and maybe teaming it up with a Xiangsheng 05B to handle modern formats DSD etc, less than 500 bucks the two together would be just north of a grand.
On the NOS front the Audio Mirror Tubadour III NOS w/tubes, new $1,500.

The Denafrips Ares II R2R used about 800 bucks, or the Musician - Pegasus, new around $1,100.
And then there is the Line Magnetic 502CA tube, used 700-800 dollars.
I love the look of the LM and it's got a great tube stage, I definitely have a bit of a crush on this one.

I realize I’m a little bit all over the Map here, but again if anyone has thoughts or has /had one of these DAC’s I’m all ears...Many thanks and Happy Holidays!HG
grossman616
grossman616 OP
130 posts
 
I was set to get the AM tubiedoor  : )  But then they stopped returning e-mails. It's OK I saw some "under the hood" pics and no thanks, yikes.
for now, just to get a taste of the whole NOS thing, I bought a VERY NICE bespoke little DAC. Built by a retired electrical engineer ( and patent holder)  using a TDA1541A with Philips Forum 10th anniversary board. Still breaking it in but on the whole very nice. Tons of air and space and detail. As far as something for higher rates I am looking at maybe the Woo DAC or ??? Some of you will hate me but I just can't get past the clock radio look of the Mhtd products Maybe the Schiit??Many many thanks for ALL the useful info folks!
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@grossman616 

i have vlad bazelkov's tubador dac as well as his set45 6c33c mono amps... they are both superb in their performance and value ...  perhaps what the wiring looks like 'under the hood' isn't as neat as some, but the performance of his gear is absolutely top notch in my experience and he is there to support and answer questions - a true audiophile small scale designer/builder with excellent sonic sensibilities

hope you have found what pleases you...
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@jjss49 Agreed on both accounts.

Congrats to the OP on your purchase, glad it's working out. Always nice to hear about a new product, thanks.

Have to disagree on the Audio Mirror criticism though. I have opened my Tubadour to put in solid core silver wiring, low mass silver RCAs, and big solid core copper coming off the transformer. Nothing at all that concerned me about workmanship or quality when I was in there. I've got a picture of my unit opened up on my system page if anyone wants to check for themselves. 
whipsaw
759 posts
 
@rossman

Musician Pegasus r2r DAC is more than comparable in sound and build quality to Denifrips Pontus II. Listened and compared them both and saved over $1K by going with the Pegasus. Internals are nearly identical.

They are not even close to being "identical" internally. Readers should search for images and compare. To use the most obvious example, the Pontus employs two toroidal transformers, as opposed to one for the Pegasus.

I have no opinion on the quality of the Pegasus, but it is not closely comparable, in terms of components, to the Pontus.
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@whipsaw

Musician Pegasus r2r DAC is more than comparable in sound and build quality to Denifrips Pontus II. Listened and compared them both and saved over $1K by going with the Pegasus. Internals are nearly identical.

They are not even close to being "identical" internally. Readers should search for images and compare. To use the most obvious example, the Pontus employs two toroidal transformers, as opposed to one for the Pegasus.

I have no opinion on the quality of the Pegasus, but it is not closely comparable, in terms of components, to the Pontus.

i agree w you 100% -- people who post this BS without the slightest clue....
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