New DACs High End Munich 2023


I am now searching for a new DAC to replace my Oppo UDP-205 and High End Munich 2023 was the event I was waiting for to hear about new announcements.

I know that Auralic and Total DAC have introduced new DACs and Primare has new modules. Anyone hear any other DACs being released in the next 2-3 months?

128x128milpai

I spend a lot of time listening to DACs in this price range.  There are some great suggestions above.  Particularly I hear great things about Merason though I have not heard it personally.  Two that I didn't see come up that I think you would find interesting are:

Canor DAC 2.10.  It is ESS based but with a tube stage that softens the edges from that chip and list is $4K.  I have several dealers around the country where you can here it and I also lend this out.  8 or 9 filters are available and it fully unfolds MQA.  Tons of detail, nice staging and not fatiguing.  

The Audiobyte HydraVox is an FPGA DAC with tons of detail and a huge soundstage.  It has a reputation for being quite natural sounding and is the FPGA side of Rockna.  Lisit is $4500.  

Having had several oppo products here as points of comparison I think both would be very appealing as an upgrade.  Neither is in the league of the Playback MPD6 or MPD 8 but if you listned to either alongside the Playback you would get why I am suggesting them.  

Full disclosure, I am obviously a dealer for these products along with Playback designs.  If you can, do your best to try and hear the product in home in your system.  If does make a bid difference.  

@jayctoy , I will be looking for the following DACs, but will take my time - Chord Hugo TT2 , Terminator Plus, Okto Stereo and Bricasti. I want to visit some bigger cities before I am able to make a decision. My timeline is in the next 3-6 months.

BTW, even your Marantz SA10 is under consideration if I get a good deal. Not sure why @boostedis thinks it's not a good choice. Playback designs is way too much over what I have budgeted.

@milpai Some love it, some love to hate it, but the Musetec MH-DA005 is excellent for 3k. It was one of those DAC's that just made me smile right out of the gate early on.

I have the Gustard R26, Musetec MH-DA005, Molo Molo Tambaqui and T+A DAC 200.

I would highly recommend any and all of them given their respective price points.

Happy hunting and good luck!

Milpai the Marantz SA 10 is a all around cdp.Music Direct usually have good deal on them.When I play sacd , sometimes I thought Iam playing vynil records.My analog set up is Sutherland 20/20 with LPS  phono pre, tt VPI prime scout with Hana  cart.