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Need help choosing a new DAC

With so many options for DACs these days, I'm having a hard time deciding on a new DAC.  Currently considering a MHDT Orchid or Pagoda, Denafrips Pontus II, Benchmark DAC3,  Schitt Yggdrasil, or Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE.  I don't need any options such as volume control, BT, or MQA.  I also prefer musicality over measurements.  I'm currently using a SMSL SU-9, which will be moved over to my office system.  I'm tired of moving it back and forth between systems. My bank account prefers the cost of the Orchid since the other options cost up to twice as much, but I can go as high as $2500.  I mostly steam Qobuz thru a Raspberry Pi 4, but also use a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 CD transport on occasion.  My preamp is a Don Sachs DS2 tube preamp going into a D-Sonic m3a-1200s amp feeding "Gunned" MMGs.  I mostly listen to the Grateful Dead, rock, jazz, and acoustic music. Which DAC should I get and are the any others I should look at? 

terrapin77
terrapin77 OP
72 posts
 

@scottya118 I will check out the Sonnet Morpheus, but it is slightly more than I want to spend at this time

mid-fi-crisis
71 posts
 

You know they'll all be decent but a little bit different to each other. If you can't try them in your own system you really have to roll the dice to a certain extent.

I have the MHDT Orchid. I like it. The tube gives a little bit of scope to massage the sound presentation.

Just go off the features you desire I reckon. 

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
3,927 posts
 

One think on your list an uptone audio Ether regen ,hub makes Everything sound better, your budget $2500  button the multi review winner Denafrips Pontus 2

you order it within a week delivered ,I have one ,as well as their new Terminator2

i sold my Bricasti 3  for the terminator a Big step up in realism .

the Pontus around $2k then you can buy that uptone Eyher regen and Wireworld starlight Ethernet cable and usb Excellent low cost buys ,being in a multi state audio club I hear a ton of nice equipment for all budgets.

jerryg123's avatar
jerryg123
3,429 posts
 

Good inexpensive DAC Border Patrol.

I auditioned the Ferot it was nice but no better than my Bel Canto 2.7 DAC.

clockworkcreep
5 posts
 

My suggestion is to consider the Aqua LaVoce. This is a DAC that is a keeper, long after all the other flavor of the month DAC's have come and gone. It's relaxed, effortless, analog-like, highly resolving and with the right streamer-capable of maximizing the performance of your existing system. Even when you choose to upgrade your speakers, amplification and preamplification, the Aqua will remain. You don't see many of them for sale because their owners stay put. The LaVoce is a Ladder DAC made in Italy, not some Chi-Fi product. It's also upgradeable by Aqua HiFi who has a history of offering excellent upgrade options to their customers.

If I were to choose a chip-based DAC, I'd consider a Teac UD-701. It's Roon ready, supports Qobuz and offers two analog inputs, which means you can connect a turntable to it as long as you have an outboard phono stage. It also has balanced outputs, so if you want to connect directly to a very good power amp via it's own balanced inputs you can. There's nothing that the Teac can't decode natively, and I mean decode well. It's no Aqua LaVoce, but it offers high value and can compete with anything at the $3000 price point, and gives you a very good linestage with input selection and volume control in the analog domain as well. 

But you should get the LaVoce. When you spend vertically, you are less likely to suffer buyers remorse. If this your forever DAC, step up to the plate and get it.

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