Better sounding DAC than Cullen mod PS Audio DLIII


Hi,

I am on the market for a digital converter and my reference sound is Cullen Mod (stage III/IV) PS Audio Digital Link III. Can you recommend a few DACs better sounding than this DAC based on your experiences, hopefully actual comparisons? The budget should be $1K~2.5K.

Someone advised VALAB DAC already but I am not familiar with this DAC.

Many thanks in advance...
yoyodyne
Anybody have compared Cullen mod DLIII to Benchmark DAC1 or Bel Canto DAC3? Or Electrocompaniet ECD-1?

thanks...
I did breifly compare the stock DL-III to the Benchmark and Electrocompaniet DAC's.

In my comparrisons of these, I found the Benchmark to be be analytical and non-involving. The Electrocompaniet was the most "musical" with a slight "warmth."

I'd suspect from what I have read that the Cullen modded DL-3, is probably closer the sound of the Electro DAC.

Your mileage may vary. However, I'd suspect that these DACs, in comparrison to your modded DL-3 may be a sideways move, or possibly even a step backwards in musicality.

From what I have read, you have a pretty good value in the Cullen DL-III.

I have also been told that though it is not quite there, the modded DL-III brings you very close in performance and musicality to the Bel Canto DAC3
Apparently, Rick Cullen thinks his new DAC1 is a better machine than the DLIII: the two boards seem to have a lot in common ( (see pictures here) but the new ESS 9018 chip, and everything Rick learnt from the DLIII should add up to something pretty special.