Curious.....


I am getting a new DAC soon.  I have to go on memory and my notes as I haven't heard any of the top DAC's that are on my list in ages or it's been their mk 1 not the mk 2 if you would.  I have spoken to a few dealers I'm close with as well as friends and a reviewer I'm close with.  The reviewer knows digital really well and we both know where our hearing differs from each other so I trust him.

My list (some used and some new with discounts):

Brinkmann Nyquist
Meitner MA3 (dealer sells Brinkmann and used to sell MSB and swears the new MA3 is better)
DCS Bartok (dealer carries Brinkmann and never brought it up in our initial conversation as he said Bartok for how it sounds and that they do the upgrades over the life of the product which I love)
MSB Discrete with built in 2nd power supply and the ProUSB dongle that does fiber optic isolation.

I have only heard the MSB Select and I loved it.  That was a few years ago.  I haven't heard the Discrete, but dealer swears that configured this way it's nearly what the Premier is at a much lower price point.

I know that Nyquist is loved by many of my 'analog' friends.  I have always loved Brinkmann tables and when I first heard the Nyquist original edition I was blown away and I heard it just weeks after I heard my buddy's DaVinci mk 2 as well as the top Lampinator.

I can audition the MA3 locally and if I like it best, I'll buy from that dealer (I try to never waste folks time)

I can probably find a DCS dealer near me (2 hour drive) if I want to go that route and I may.  

Just curious where this thread will go...  Begin:  ......  
ctsooner
I have never heard the Nyquist or Brinkmans and cannot comment.

The dCS and MSB I am quite familiar with and they are opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of sound.  I suspect your system will sound very different with either of those.  

What do you currently have?  What is in the balance of your system and what do you like or dislike about the current setup? What streaming service and what server are you using?  
Without that context it is impossible to offer a good suggestion.  
Two, thanks for sharing.  I'll check it out.  

Verd, The Brinkmann Nyquist is on the 'warm' side of things and still very detailed. They have dealt wiht the pre an post ringing that ruins digital for me with most units.  

I own Vandersteen Quatro CT's, Vandersteen M5-HPA mono's, Audioquest Niagara 3000 with Dragon power cord and Hurricane cords for everything else, including the speakers.  I have AQ Fire interconnects and will have their WEL balanced interconnects for the DAC.  My server is a bespoke The memory Player by Laufer Technique which is on the same level at the Taiko server that costs over 30k (my buddy owns a Memory Player like I do and just reviewed the Taiko for TAS).  I have a DAC that they built into is, b ut will be taking it out when I get my new one.

I hate to say I like warm or open or whatever.  I like music to sound like music.  I don't like the music to be in my face.  I need a large sound stage when its' recorded that way.  I want accuracy.  I do get fatigued listening to digital when it's not top notch.  I want something that will give me bass when it's there and pristine highs.  I played drums before the MS and know what a high hat sounds like or how a ride cymbal sounds.  I listen to music that has piano and want to hear the bite and strike of the strings.  I had Ayre and appreciated the speed and timing and micro and macro detail.  I guess I want it all.  

DCS to me has always been a spec 'cold' to my ears.  I thought the MSB that I heard (way out of the price range I'm looking at) was highly musical and still highly detailed with everything.  I just wish I could hear the Brinkmann and MSB units as I think in order it's:

Brinkmann
MSB Discrete
MA3
DCS Bartok
Bricasti.

I am open minded though.