I’m on the other end of this inquiry. I have a Bricasti M1SE and have been tire kicking for a streamer… pretty close to pulling trigger on an N200 but I swear somewhere I read the Bricasti is better with Ethernet rather than USB? Would love for someone to tell me that’s not true lol.
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I’m really happy with using a good USB from my N200 to the Pontus ll. Though I must admit that I haven’t tried ABS/EBU.
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The following DACs are highly compatible with the Aurender N200’s capabilities in delivering high-resolution files and managing noise effectively.
R2R
- Denafrips Pontus 15th / Venus 15th – Highly regarded for natural, analog-like sound.
- Holo Audio Spring 3 (Level 2 or KTE) – Exceptional detail and tonal richness, suitable for audiophiles.
- MSB Discrete DAC – Modular design, excellent for upgrades; very high-end performance.
- Rockna Wavelight DAC – Smooth, organic, and precise sound reproduction.
Delta-Sigma chip based
- Chord Qutest / Hugo TT2 – Known for transparency and detail retrieval.
- Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ – Offers a neutral and detailed sound signature with a robust feature set.
- Benchmark DAC3 – Clean, accurate, and neutral presentation, ideal for reference listening.
- T+A DAC 200 – A hybrid approach delivering both precision and warmth.
Hybrid or Tube-based
- LampizatOr Amber 4 – Tube-based design for warm, lush sound.
- Audio Note DAC 2.1x – Purely musical with a minimalist approach.
- PS Audio DirectStream DAC MKii – FPGA-based, highly resolving and smooth sound.
- Weiss DAC502 – High-end DAC with precision and great functionality.
- LTA Aero DAC – Tube output stage with low output impedance
High-End (these might be over your budget but worth consideration one day you become rich
- dCS Bartók – Renowned for advanced technology and unparalleled soundstage.
- dCS Vivaldi APEX DAC – dCS flagship DAC
- Mola Mola Tambaqui – Compact, highly resolving, and extremely dynamic.
- Esoteric N-05XD – Matches the refinement of the Aurender N200 perfectly.
- Luxman DA-06 – Offers a smooth, musical presentation with excellent build quality
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I'm using my Aurender N200 with a Holo Audio May KTE DAC via USB and I'm very happy. I did try coaxial but thought the USB sounded better.
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The AudioMirror Tubadour V is <$8k and is an excellent tube DAC.
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