DAC question - is music streamer DAC better than mcintosh DA2?

@nathandfwacoustics 

Do not discount the quality of the DA2 DAC. I have an outboard DAC that retails for $19K, and it sounds glorious. As far as a price-to-performance ratio is concerned, the DA2 blows my expensive DAC away. You will need to spend upwards of $10K for a DAC to be clearly better than the DA2. Also, it is nonsense that we spend uber bucks for streamers; the DAC is the heart of the digital system. 

I have the MA9500 and its DAC sounds amazing. I’ve also owned the top Topping DAC and still have an Eversolo A8 that has a pretty good DAC but not near as full as the Macs DAC. It’s almost like comparing Class AB to D amps. 

I recently upgraded my MA8900 to the DA2 module.  I run an Aurender N100C as my only digital source and the DA2 performs very well.  I think you would have to spend a lot more money on an external DAC to notice big differences over the DA2.  I will say that the DA2 is a big improvement over the DA1 module that was originally installed in my amp.  It does not have issues with USB inputs from the Aurender which was a little finicky with the DA1 module.  You would be very well served with any of the Mac integrated amps and the DA2 DAC.

Last year I tried approximately 10 different DAC’s. The DA2 held its own with all of them. Mine is built into a C8. I never had one glitch with the C8 which is more than I can say for all of the other un I tried. There’s something about having the units built by the same manufacturer. also McIntosh owns another DAC manufacture called Weiss, I understand that they are a well respected brand. One last thought, if you buy your unit without the DA2 The dealer can install one for $1500.

Wow, didn’t know Mac owned Weiss!