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

 

From what I could find, there are some positive reviews as well as negative and also some mixed ones.  It might improve someone's DAC need if they are moving up from a < $1K level DAC.

Found another review.

Big difference is the reviewer here prefers upsampling while Stereophile prefers NOS.

 

 

The 10 Audio review was positive until he switched to upsampling.  Many of us leave our DACs in NOS anyway. It sounds like this unit does get the job done.

 

The 10 Audio review was for the standard version and Stereophile reviewed the HE version which has an upgraded power supply that adds about $1200.