Best DACs under $7,000.00
I'm tentatively beginning the search for a DAC upgrade. Currently, I have Innuos Zen MK3 as a streamer connected via USB to a Denafrips Iris DDC that is connected via I2S to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC. The Pontus II is excellent but I feel it's the one point where I could gain incremental improvement toward that illusive natural, layered, analog end-of-the-rainbow. I simply can't / won't spend above $5,000.00 - $7,000.00 on the DAC. The rest of my system: top-of-line Prima Luna Evo 400 Integrated Amp and a set of Harbeth speakers. Right now, I'm looking at Denafrips Terminator II or Holo Audio May DAC. I've never seen an a/b comparison of these two, but both stand out and have a following. Of course, the unsettling thing is DACs have evolved so much and are still in a blooming state technologically, making it a given that whatever we have today will probably be surpassed by better for less later, like electric vehicles. But that's the nature of the beast. Does anyone have alternative suggestions in this current climate?
Hi Jerryg123, Yes, if you look on the list in the thread, the Merson DAC-1 is in fact listed. If you look for reviews of this model, you'll find some solid support. It won Editor's Choice at The Ear magazine and an enthusiastic review in Part-Time Audiophile. Seems like a good DAC in this price category. |
FWIW I actually owned, and forgot to mention, a Merason DAC-1 after the Pontus II, and found the Aqua to be superior in my system. I did like the sound of the Merason, but, like some professional reviewers, found it to be a touch too smooth. If I were listening to a lot of recordings that were not of very high quality, the Merason would have been very attractive, as it hides flaws very well. But that comes at the expense of the loss of some detail, and it became obvious when I compared the two. Also, though I have no incentive to help sell any Aqua products, don’t forget that the La Scala is designed in a modular fashion which will allow it to be easily upgraded in the future, and that could prove to be a significant advantage over most DAC designs. |
So this is challenging...you are looking at trying to get an analog/neutral sound which only is relevant within the context of your system. Looking at the two other components that you have (PrimaLuna and Harbeth), I would expect your system to be neutral to a hair warm which means if you go with too warm of a DAC, you are likely to end up with the system sounding dark or laid back. I would look neutral to a hair bright and you end up with a natural and engaging sound. I would look at: - Bricasti M3 (or M1 used) as these are dead neutral. Soundstage is huge and they are detailed and engaging. Incredibly musical and fun to listen too - Rockna Wavedream Edition SE. Your amp is single ended. The Rockna is incredibly detailed. The soundstage is massive and it is one of the most neutral units I have ever heard. Part of the challenge in describing it is that the sound doesn't stand out in any way. - Audiobyte HydraVox - it is similar to the Edition SE in sound but is FPGA rather than R2R. It is wonderful sounding and with the HUB (which is hard to get) it is really great sounding and Roon ready. The challenge is that when the DAC changes tracks it makes a clicking sound. - On the brighter side, the Weiss 501/502 will be in that price range used. It is definitely forward vs neutral but with the very musical system you have could land you in a good place. - Chord TT2 is a great DAC. It is brighter and will lack the scale of the Weiss or the Rockna in terms of soundstage width and height but has incredible depth and stability. No one is better than chord between the speakers. I know this is unhelpful as all it does is add to your list which is already incredibly long. Best thing to do is borrow a unit of two and see how it performs. You might try a neutral unit and a brighter unit to see how you enjoy them with your system. The only way you can tell is to try one in your system. Full disclosure, I am a retailer for all of these brands. I have tested lots of DACs but have never heard the Terminator or Holo May and can't speak how they will compare. |
@vthokie83 that is very true. Very rarely did I have the same speakers, amps, or streamer with each different dac. Way too many variables in my system to give a reliable opinion, but I really like the T+A Dac200 w/ the Lumin U2 mini :) |
