Emm Labs DV2 versus Tambaqui

This is a brutal thread.  @laoman here are three thoughts beyond Holo May and Denafrips.  

I have not heard the EMM or the Mola Mola.  I am 100% certain both are brilliant but they just haven't made it through my space yet.  I am exploring expanding my DAC selection further and am seriously considering adding EMM.  We just added Playback.  

Playback has just introduced and is about to ship the new MPD-6 Edelweiss which is $15K without the built-in streamer.  The Streamer is $3K.  I have my sales sample on order and am just waiting for my bill from Playback and have been told to expect any day.  I have not heard it yet, obviously.  I have heard the Dream DAC and it is radically better than any of the $10K-$15K DACs I have heard in just about every way.  I expect the Edelweiss to be a step up from the Weiss, M1 SE, Dave, Wavedream Edition cluster of DACs but a step down from the Dream DAC.  

The Rockna Wavedream Signature is another DAC worth considering.  It is incredibly detailed and is so neutral and balanced the sound is difficult to describe.  The only critique is that it is so neutral, it can be a bit boring.  They are incredibly detailed with a monstrous soundstage.  

The MSB Discrete is also one worth looking at.  I have no relationship with MSB but have heard their DACs and they are worth your time.  Very musical and engaging.  Incredibly detailed but not bright or fatiguing in any way.  

Beyond EMM and Mola Mola, these are the three I would look at.  Good luck to you.  

Verdantaudio, that is a great post. I was not aware that the Dream dac was releasing a new model with a streaming module. That is a game changer. The Dream dacs were designed by the a genius. I will need to listen to this new model as well. Thanks for the information you posted. I will look at the Rockna. Have you heard the new Sonnet? It may be showcased at the Munich hi fi show in a few weeks.

In the $15k plus category, keep an eye on Nagra. Their successor to the Nagra Classic DAC will include streaming capability. Koch of Playback is on their digital design team. The analog stage is designed by the Nagra brain trust. Beautiful form factor if that matters to you and it will have that slightly warm and musical DSD sound if that appeals to you. I use their tube DAC which doesn’t have streaming and is quite a bit more expensive.

If the insightful and meaty analog quality of an MSB is also of interest, consider totaldac as well. It’s sold direct without dealer markup. If you configure it properly (PM me if you’re interested - the website is confusing to say the least), it’s killer and quite a bit cheaper than MSB even at the highest levels. Built in Roon endpoint is an option. But even their entry model is quite good. I have one.

Thanks. When the nonsense from the fanbois is removed from Audiogon there is a lot of valuable information. That is why I joined.

@ja_kub_sz How about starting a new thread to compare the Musetec 005 to the DACs you plan to audition?

The 4 DACs you have listed were all in my list of DACs to consider, along with the 005. I am thinking of getting a second 005 for the Livingroom but variety never hurt.