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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
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
564 posts
 

@tonywinga I have no doubt that the Ayon Stealth XS DAC is as good as you say it is. About a decade ago I had an Ayon Triton II KT-88 integrated amp that I LOVED the sonics of.
But I think you may not see as much as you’d like to see of Ayon in this forum, might be because of many individual issues over the years involving their CD players/transports, as well as a couple or few integrated models. Ayon or USA Tube didn’t always —or were unable to— fix the issues. More than a few ended up with a CD5s brick. These varying things over the last decade may of made people weary and simply look elsewhere. 

It’s nice to see that Ayon is still around and I’m sure they have good business in their area of the world but the reliability and their ability to repair their own gear has been in question before around here... With that said, I did have a channel go out on my Triton int. early on and I was offered a very very good price difference, from USATube, to upgrade to the just new Triton II at that time. So my experience with them was good. 

tonywinga's avatar
tonywinga
844 posts
 

Good to know.  Customer service after the sale is just as important as performance.  I'm at 2 years/2500 hours with my Stealth XS.  My CD transport has much fewer hours since I stream mostly these days.  So far, all has been good.  I hope I haven't jinxed myself.  My 2 year warranty runs out this month.

All of my gear is US made except for this DAC and Transport.  I have had issues over the years with amps, preamps, turntables, speakers and CD players.  My experience has been that the US companies- at least the brands I have,  fall all over themselves to fix a problem regardless of being in warranty or out of warranty.  They value reputation.  

tonywinga's avatar
tonywinga
844 posts
 

I’ll add this.  I cracked open the DAC once to take a look around inside and to add tube dampers- just because.  I found the build quality and workmanship to be outstanding.  I have a picture of the innards on my system page.  

luisma31
516 posts
 

@gregjacob 

I have been eyeing the TA200, had the Terminator and May before.

I use hqplayer and that allows you through the use of filters and modulators to alter the sound signature of a no tube dac if you like to experiment, now you need a computer for this and it's a complete different rabbit hole.

The 1 bit dsd 1024 is what I'm after 

klh007
621 posts
 

@luisma31 The T& A 200 is a wonderful DAC and I'm pretty sure it does DSD 1024.

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