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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?

gregjacob
chopandchange
44 posts
 

@rwwear that Holo May YouTube video you linked to is a pretty convincing reason why that DAC should not be ignored!

It might very well be an expensive DAC - but think of the money you could save on the digital transport! With that much galvanic isolation and attention to jitter you can put just about anything ahead of it and still get the same sound quality - for example - you could find a low cost old Chromecast Audio and that would sound equally as good as a Lumin, Auralic, dCS and others for example (only when something is as well engineered at the Holo).

The transport usually does matter - but with a Holo - not so much! Even expensive interconnects can be ignored!

Just use a laptop computer - more fully featured than most dedicated streamers - it just doesn't matter with the Holo May it would seem.

Great video.

 

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gregjacob OP
115 posts
 

To Tvad:  I would agree with you.  In all the reviews and conversations I've had with owners and sellers, the Lampi B3 is not described with those terms. As DACs have evolved in the past few years, the Amber 3 has been profiled as slightly warmish by some, but the updated Amber 4 is more like the Baltic 3.

Another DAC that is similar in dynamics and accolades to the Baltic but out of my price range is the TotalDAC. We have the Lampizator from Poland, TotalDac from France, Weiss from Switzerland, and La Scala from Italy. All fine music makers from the European side serving high-end systems. No matter how crowded the market, the Lampis are still used with top equipment to showcase sound magic at tradeshows.

rja's avatar
rja
2,377 posts
 

To muddy the conversation a bit more, you could check out the Meitner M3.

A used or demo unit should make the stated price range.

gregjacob OP
115 posts
 

To rja: Yes, it is getting good reviews.

 

To: tvad:  I spoke to Lampizator today and was given some interesting information.  First, the Amber 4 is a solid upgrade from the Amber 3.  Second, the Baltic 3 is in the middle of an important upgrade.  A quote from today:  "Although we kept the Baltic 3 name, as of October all Baltic 3s ship with our newest engine 11. Same engine that will be going into our Golden Gate 3 as well. I was using an Amber 4 but just got the newest Baltic 3 and it's a very nice upgrade. Like the old B3 it's more resolved from top to bottom. The added improvement is a much more liquid presentation now.  Again, great DACs getting upgrades.

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