As others have mentioned, LAIV has been having build quality issues lately. They are new, so might be going through growing pains, so buyer beware. Holo May and Cyan are "the" DACs every reviewer has loved. The Denafrips Pontus 15th is indeed (upon Jay Iyagi opening one up and looking) nearly a Venus in quality. So while Denafrips and other Chi-fi makers have been terribly guilty about making minor mods and changing the generation of a device, in this case, the 15th is worthy of "wow, getting a lot for your money".
I’m still on the fence regarding buying something from China and the aggravation of sending it back or trying to get in-warranty or out of warranty service done on them.
I’m sticking to DACs made in the U.S. or Europe because of that. I’m not sure my system is good enough to justify a $2000 DAC, so I’m considering Schiit Bifrost 2/64 or a refurbished PS Audio Gaincell DAC for about $1K.
In your budget you’d have many to choose from. If you can, buy via Amazon and be able to easily return it if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
Oh, and I get what Jason is saying, but DACs, even at the same rough price points do NOT all sound the same. The output stage and power supplies can vary considerably between DACs, hence different tonalities and different impressions of the leading edges, the bodies, and the decay of notes. Just wish we could go to the corner audio store and listen to many of these devices, but hey, the 1980s are long over. Rats.
And don’t overlook good sigma-delta or multibit DACs compared to R2R. They too can have "great soundstage and imaging and tonality" despite all the R2R hype via the YouTubers.
The Music Room might also be your friend for getting more bang for your buck too.
Finally, PS Audio is having that "Black Friday Refurb" sale and has a few preloved Directstream DAC MK1 for $1,599.00 USD. These are a few years old, but sold new for $6000. They have a recent firmware upgrade to the FPGA and many on here have commented they sounded great.
DAC shopping - Trying to sift through the Hype. Can I trust the reviews these days ??
Hi All,
Well I've been reading a ton of threads about DACs. This is a very complicated endeavor, trying to find a new DAC. My 1st question is: Can I trust all the Youtube reviews these days ?
Seems like everyone is promoting the same DACs. I'm looking into a R2R Dac. Tons of hype for Holo May,Cyan,Laiv Harmony,Denafrips. Are these truly great Dacs or are they just the flavour of the month ?. There is almost zero negativity towards these Dacs. It's kind of like when the Eversolo streamers came out. Seemed like every reviewer was pushing the Eversolo. So searching for a new DAC online almost seems like sponsored ADs everywhere, am I wrong in feeling this way ?
That all being said here is my criteria for a new DAC (Probably searching the used market to get best value)
I believe I want to go with a R2R Dac, but it's not a dealbreaker.
My budget: $1000-$3000
My system: Bryston 3B Cubed, VTL(tube pre),Bel Canto 3.7 Dac(with upgrades), Antipodes Ds-3(player/server).
I really enjoy my Bel Canto 3.7, but it doesn't have USB input and I'm curious how much better a DAC sounds in 2024, compared to an older Bel Canto,. My BC has an upgraded linear supply. Once again this DAC sounds beautiful, but when its not compared to anything......Maybe I'm depriving myself of a better DAC. This is the only DAC I've had with existing equipment.
I know plenty of you will say go audition as many DACs as you can, but that is difficult unless it's hooked up to my gear. Won't help going to a store with a DAC being hooked up to different gear.Plus I want to buy used. I can buy higher end with a bit of a discount.
From my research these are the DACs I'm thinking of pursuing:
Laiv Harmony
Denafrips Pontas ii
Holo Cyan
You can tell from my choices that I've been buying into the hype.
Please add to my list of DACs and please dispel any extra hype over the most talked about models.
Cheers.
- ...
- 44 posts total
@moonwatcher and don’t overlook good sigma-delta or multibit DACs compared to R2R. I totally agree, which making a DAC upgrade that much harder... where do you start ? Soo many options available. It's a bit overwhelming. |
The top tier Lampizators are Grrreeeaatt and great $$$$. The T + A 200 D/A is in the same realm as the Weiss 501 and it is excellent and a very good value even at full price. |
- 44 posts total