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Rank the top reference DACs you've heard

Usually the battle goes between DCS Vivaldi set and MSB Select II.

However, since Swiss/Japanese (boutique level) DACs are usually out of reach, we rarely read about ultra high end DACs and where they fit with the rest of the league ($5000-$100,000) price range. 

There are other topologies and SOTA designs floating around, what comes to mind:
- new DCS (above Vivaldi) flagship to be announced
- Wadax Atlantis Reference
- Esoteric Grandioso D1X (Dual Mono)
- TotalDAC Twelve Mk2
- Lampizator Golden Gate 2
- Chord Dave+mscaler
- CH Precision C1+X1 (Dual Mono) 
- Soulution 760
- Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref
- Aqua La Scala mkII Optologic
- EMM Labs DV2/DA2

I mentioned flagship DACs only since the list will be bigger and we will lose focus of the subject. It is interesting to know some of us "lurkers" or who has reached audio nirvana with his choice of DAC and what did he it compare with. The more input we get, the clearer the big picture will be. 

Let's go!
128x128emerald
sns
3,498 posts
 

@hifixman I reached a point some years ago when I no longer heard added resolution as hearing new details such as something low level in mix being suddenly heard. Since then, I've heard it mostly as sound stage and imaging differences, in the sense of greater expansion and dimensionality. I know Ed Meitner equates lower jitter very much with sound stage expansion, not just with digititus. Based on much research, the Playback Design and Mojo consistently rise to top of my list for possible dac auditions.

 

While I've heard nice dacs over the years, if not auditioned in my present system hard for me to make informed decision. I seek changing out only one variable at a time for this.

ronres's avatar
ronres
49 posts
 

A direct comparative survey of eight of today’s top DACs was recently posted on WhatsBestForum.

shkong78's avatar
shkong78
1,485 posts
 

Wadax Reference 105

MSB Select II 100

Ideon Absolute 98

Lampi Horizon 97

Lampi Pacific 90

Ideon Ion 89

Wells Audio Cipher Dac II 88

Dave and Mscaler (fed by linear supply) 87

 

Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mark88's avatar
mark88
1 posts
 

I have the Dave and M scaler. Its been a small journey with this dac. I had a AudioQuest usb cable feeding it to start. Then I got the wireworld platinum usb cable. That made a amazing positive difference. At this point I did not like the m scaler and just used the Dave. I had a very good set of bnc cables but the m scaler just didn't sound as good to me as just the Dave. Then I got the Wave storm reference cables for the m scaler. All I can say is if you have a dave and m scaler you should try the Wave storm bnc cables. To my ears in my system it is a amazing combination. 

fastfreight
866 posts
 

When I first got the Tambaqui, I thought it was amazing.  But then I was encouraged to try a better streamer.  So I go the Auralic Aries G2.1 and it got much better.  blacker blacks etc etc.  So then i went all in and modded the Aries with a full blown 'Sean Jacobs Custom power Supply. DC4 / AR6 Ultimate Series.   It cost more than the streamer, and required a custom umbilical to bypass the AC inlet.  Wow.  Anyone who has not heard this is missing the point of a quality DAC.  I know some streamers come with an uber good Power Supply.  Look at the option on the Innuos top end streamer..  I did not believe it till I heard it.

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