Six DAC Comparison

Great write up - many thanks!

To all, it seems we want to read that our latest/greatest, or next/greatest, purchase will be universally acclaimed and will suffer all scrutiny without any identified flaws. It just doesn’t work that way. As an example, look at all the subjectively positive reviews of the Mojo Mystique X SE DAC and then John Atkinson comes along and craps on it based on the measurements and, to make matters worse, writes a follow-up where he hears issues with the DAC that he believes are consistent with the measurements. Does that make all the positive reviews by experienced reviewers invalid?

We are all preconditioned both inherently and by our experiences, including professional reviewers. Am I qualified to write about a DAC that provides a sonic presentation that is different from what I have come to appreciate and from what I most often listen to? In addition, most of my listening is done through $10K’ish DACs so is it surprising that I didn’t walk away with an Aero for my main system - not really. This is why I did my best to stick with what I actually heard, which was mostly very good yet not exactly aligned with what I am used to hearing. This is also why folks need to keep in mind that any review, post, or subjective opinion reflects the perspective of somebody looking through their own lenses, which is bound to be at least a little different from how the reader would perceive things.

@stuartk - I suggest trying to hear one or, if you like most of what you read about the Aero from both my write-up and from other reviewers, then take LTA up on their 14-day trial. Even with return shipping and fees if you choose not to keep it, the cost of an audition is less expensive than traveling to attend an audio show and you would have the benefit of hearing it in your own room. As I said in my write-up, it really is worth a listen. I don’t know where else you go in the $4K new range although several options have popped up lately. Benjamin’s new Mystique Y might be an option, although he hasn’t said any more about sending me one to try out and I am not going to buy one just to hear a lesser version of two Mojo DACs I already have here. You might want to read the Ken Redmond review.

@sls883 - Good thing I took pictures when I boxed it up, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to answer you question. The one tube box that shows up in my pictures indicates it is a GE12SX7GTA

FYI all, I am wrapping up my write-up of the Benchmark DAC3 HGC, which I will post by this weekend, and moving on to more detailed listening to the Merason DAC1 MkII.

Did you compare the LTA to the Benchmark or Merason DACs?

@soix - Absolutely.  I had all six DACs here at once over the past month and the LTA Aero is the only one that had to be returned.  I own the others. 

I had five of them powered up and on my stand and three or four of them connected through the DDC at any one time.  At first, the only one out of the mix was the Mojo Mystique X SE NCZ.  I listened to all of them off and on for a couple of weeks and then began focusing on whichever DAC that I was preparing a write-up for. 

The three you asked about offer three quite different presentations, IMO, so at least for me an apples to apples comparison would be difficult.  They all bring their strengths to the table, but not the same strengths.  That is why it is important for buyers to think about which sonic attributes they value most, since no one DAC is likely to fully cover every base.  

I am trying to write about the strengths and limitations of each unit, as I hear them, and then at the end I will consider preparing a short summary comparison of all six.  However, I cannot tell a prospective buyer which unit would work out best for them.  As we read many times in these threads, you really do need to hear stuff for yourself.

then at the end I will consider preparing a short summary comparison of all six.

That would be super interesting and helpful if you could.  Very nice write ups so far!