New DAC! Meitner MA3, Denafrips Terminator Plus, Holo May KTE, Mola Mola Tambaqui


Currently have an original Schiit yggdrasil.  Thinking about taking another step up or maybe two steps!  Is the Holo May still good?  I know I hear a lot about Denafrips.  Then someone was mentioning Mola Mola. 

I like the idea of the i2s HDMI connection, I believe this is so I could have my DAC decode SACD versus a player. 

Also considering name brands dCS Lina, Meitner MA3, MSB?

Wilson Alexia V

Dan D'Agostino S250

Mac mini running Roon

Is anyone really winning in this space.  Tough for me to demo at home as I'm 2 hours from HiFi Shops and they are kind of limited in the direct to consumer DACs.

Thank you!

chauncey

@tmccarthy

Sorry, did not intend to be put any component down. How about this, Yggi is a good budget high end DAC. That is what my intent is. 
 

But in the gamut of audio DACs is something like $100 to +$50K. In the gamut of performance it is above consumer electronics but well below high end. While the idea budget / midrange/ and high end is certainly open for lots of debate. Performance separates different classes of components. There are lots that have respectable performance for their price… in the budget class. Good performance for cost, better than consumer, but not high end.

 

There is a point where there is a very significant improvement over the vast majority of inexpensive DACs. I would say that is in the $5K range, depends on the actual model. There are really big improvements in the $5K to $10-$15K… which are the mid-priced DAC range. Really high end DAC performance is in the $20K range.

I know it is somewhat arbitrary but there is a continuum of performance and the Schiit DACs are definitely extremely cost effective, but not in any way high end.

i have the Meitner MA3, owned the Holo May KTE, and borrowed the MMT from a friend for a week. i also have the Wavelight and Wavedream Signature.

If you're keen on i2s, then the MA3 is out. from the rest above, i'd go for the Rockna dacs over both Holo and MMT.

 

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@docroasty 

Actually I'm not sure if i2s is a deal breaker or not.  I'm looking at the MSB Discrete which I don't think has the option for i2s but then again it has modular input cards. 

If I could afford it I would get the Emm Labs DA2 V2.  But my budget is about half that right now.  I'm just not sure if the MA3 will beat out an MSB Discrete, plus I can upgrade it so I think it would last longer?