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Any DAC comparable to my Linn Akurate CD ?

Hi All,
my question is simple and can be for everyone knows the sound of Linn gear, in my case is the Akurate CD.

I'm looking to a DAC with USB input that can have the same musicality as Linn Akurate CD, I love it.

At the same time I'm not interested in DS products because I want to use my existing macmini/audirvana/dsf files too, but no matter if the DAC can play DSD.

I'm thinking to listen Weiss 202 and MSB Analog, but if someone did some comparison with other DACs and Linn sources, I need your opinion and listening impressions.
My budget is not more than 7000$.

My system: Spectral 200S S2 + 15SS , Sonus Elipsa Red.

Thanks in advance !
Max
maz65
b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,277 posts
 
My question is: is there a way to open up the Linn and install a digital input? The unit has a dac for the internal cd player, no?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Empirical Audio Overdrive SE DAC recently won a shootout with several top-end DACs on Audiogon, including EMM Labs, Lampizator and PSAudio. It is an extraordinary DAC:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1398132150&&&/Absolute-top-tier-DAC-for-standard-res-R

Product info:
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/overdrive-dac

Reviews and customer feedbacks:
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/news-and-reviews/overdrive-dac

A new review on Dagogo is about to come out, comparing it to other DACs, including Bricasti.

I just happen to have the review sample discounted to $5400, which is $1350 off. This leaves some money for a set of Final Drives and a Short-Block, which will improve SQ even more:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/final-drive

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/short-block

I'm confident that the Overdrive will match or more likely beat the Linn.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
BTW, the Overdrive SE has previously won other shootouts with Weiss 202 and MSB analog.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
igator
10 posts
 
If you like the way your system sounds with Akurate CD I would recommend you to get new Linn Akurate DS. It sounds significantly better than Akurate CD. But, yes, it does not play DSD...

If you will use any DAC connected to MacMini you will probably loose this "musicality".

As concerns DACs, you have to audition MSB Analog. It is a very musical DAC. I had an opportunity to listen to it with Aurender X100. If you want to keep this "musicality" you should think about Aurender.

By the way, there is Akurate DSM - it is streamer and preamp. In addition, it has several digital inputs and it can play DSD through HDMI. It costs a bit more than DS, but taking into account it's additional functions it is a bargain.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
I use a 2009 Mac mini and it beats any transport on the planet at any cost. It is powered by a modded Hynes power supply and has SSD. Playback software is Amarra and there are other OS tweaks. The only server that comes close is the Antipodes server from New Zealand. I have heard them all at trade shows.

There are a lot of crappy computer sources out there, but this one is excellent. I have modded a lot of transports in the past and this beats my best modded transport.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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