Looking for a DAC that has..


1) Balanced outputs
2) Analog HT by-pass
3) Volume control (preferably analog control)

Budget $3-4k USD new or used.
kzhtoo
Hi Motobonsai,
If your dac has internal reclocker, my guess is it will get reclocked again. In terms of sonic benefit, I do not know as I haven't tried. But in 6moon synchro-mesh review, the reviewer stated the benefit is minimum with PWD MKII dac, which supposedly has a very good internal jitter rejection circuitry. I've also read the reclocker still adds benefit to the dac even they are claimed to have jitter control (benchmark, w4s). I use Metrum Octave NOS dac that doesn't have a clock, works like a charm.

AppleTV outputs 16/48 only. The synchro-mesh has hardware upsampling to 16/96 or 24/96 (with a switch). So yes, you could get 24/96.
For most DACs, delivering a low-jitter signal is beneficial, even if the DAC reclocks or resamples inside. Even Sabre-based DACs.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
"So would a NAD M51 benefit as well?"

Certainly. I have a few customers with these.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio