T+A elektroakustik HV Series Components

@david_ten It’s actually really nice to hear from someone else who owns the SDV 3100 HV. I have not heard it with the Taiko, but I own the Aurender N30SA and the pairing is exceptional as well. That said, using the internal streamer in the SDV 3100 HV is no slouch, either!

Have you compared the SDV 3100 HV to other DACs, and if so which ones? I preferred mine over many others including the Mola Mola Tambaqui, Lampi Atlantic and Baltic 3, modded PS Audio DirectStream, and a few others. Have not compared it to other reference solutions like MSB or DCS, though I have heard those units at shows. But for anyone looking for a reference streamer, DAC and preamp all in one, the unit provides great value regardless of its MSRP. 

@blisshifi   I also agree with you on the SDV internal streamer / Roon Endpoint. It is excellent (including sound quality performance) and makes the unit extremely flexible and feature laden. 

Importantly, it allows for a simple path for those who do not want to overcomplicate their digital front end, while also saving on the outlay tied to those front ends.

using the internal streamer in the SDV 3100 HV is no slouch, either!

@blisshifi The Cable Company arranged for an extended in-home demo. I was interested in the SD but am so glad David Schultz sent me the SDV. Every combination of ’S/ D/ V’ versus my previous setup demonstrated the overall superiority of the SDV in my system. The ’V’ section is phenomenal....I’m emphasizing this because I notice a general focus (online) on the streamer and DAC aspects of the unit.

Have you compared the SDV 3100 HV to other DACs, and if so which ones?

I seriously auditioned dCS (Rossini and Vivaldi, pre APEX) in multiple dealer and audio friend setups. I was planning on an in-home demo with MSB but decided to move forward with the T+A SDV because it was abundantly clear how good the unit was. I also own the PA 3100 HV and already had a good feel for T+A’s ’sound,’ operation, build quality, reliability and support.

@david_ten Thanks for the context. I 100% agree with your comments on the V / line stage section of this unit. I owned the P 3000 HV prior, and the preamp in the SDV is just as good if not better. I’ve never heard a preamp like it, and I’ve demoed numbers of preamps up to the $20K range. It is a worthwhile addition for an extra $2500 in addition to the $36K for the base SD 3000 HV.

FYI --- there is a new product from T+A top HV series / tier, the PSD 3100 HV, a streaming DAC with pre-amp module built in: 

Priced lower than the SD / SDV line, which are very, very expensive. Not sure what the difference between the PSD and SDV 3100 HV is.

Having said this, it appears that although this was announced in Summer of this year, it is not available for purchase yet.