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Advice needed: It's time for a new DAC

Hello People of Audiogon!

I received some help a little while back when I was considering upgrading my speakers so I am looking to the community again for guidance and opinions.  It is time to upgrade my DAC.  

 

My current system is Sasha DAW's driven by a Luxman L-509X.

 

The three DAC's on my short list are:

 

MSB Discrete
Berkeley Alpha V3
Chord DAVE

 

One thing to note is that I am in Canada so many brands are difficult if not impossible to audition.  

My priority is "musicality" or "soul".  What's this?  Well to me, it means feeling.  The Luxman and Sasha's well convey musical emotion and that is important to me.  I don't know how to describe it better beyond that.  They have flow (perhaps PRAT, to use another vague term).  Sounds have meat to them and texture.  The music feels real.  

 

The second priority is three dimensionality.  

 

The third is resolution.

 

My one caveat is no tube DAC's.  Tubes, for me, just don't work well based on my listening style and habits.  I love tubes, I've owned tubes and tubes are wonderful, but as things are now, I just don't want them in a DAC.  Perhaps they will find their way into my system in a pre-amp in the future.

 

I listen primarily to Tidal but MQA is not a priority for me.  I would switch to Qobuz but they were not available in Canada until recently and all my play lists in Roon are with Tidal tracks so I suspect a switch will be a real headache, but I digress. My point is MQA isn't really important and DSD isn't necessary either.  

 

Of the above DAC's, if you have heard them, what are your thoughts/opinion?  

 

Thank you in advance,

-Paul

 

 

bigfatpaulie

Showing 4 responses by ja_kub_sz

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

I’m really liking the Cen.Grand Deluxe DSD DAC, but hell... I LOVE my Tambaqui. I’d recommend the MMT, but the Cen D³ is excellent, and my biggest praises for it are in comparison with yet another DAC, two Intergarated amplifiers and a power amplifier

Of the three DAC’s you listed I would pick the Berkely V3, since I’ve heard less criticisms about it, but truthfully have heard less overall about it compared to the others.

My Cen D³ bests my T+A DAC200 in sound stage size, depth, and especially transient decay. I swear you can "hear" the air in the room whilst the artist was recording in between notes and at moments of silence. Just a very cool sound, almost to the effect that my Luxman M10x brought to my system when first listening (prior to the Cen D³). Secondly the Cen D³ made the sound presentation for my Technics SU-R1000 almost indistinguishable from my Riviera labs Levante. So the Cen D³ brings a "tube like" sound to a Class AB digital integrated amp that neared the liquidity in sound of an amazing hybrid amp. I was so impressed at how much character the SU-R1000 took on with the Cen D³ (good character at that).

Ultimately my MMT is my favorite, but the Cen D³ with the Levante just makes what I love about both pieces of gear stand out even more, not too mention the Cen D³’s volume control is better then the somewhat finicky Levante and allows me to run the JL subs via RCA out.

All and all I highly recommend the Cen D³.

My only digs are that the company’s reputation is unproven along with product service/support. I’ve ran into customs tearing apart my unit packaging and just throwing everything back into the box. I had a coaxial input issue with this unit and am otherwise am awaiting a second replacement unit. But still would recommend it. I’ve been swapping all my gear in and out with it and it sounds great with pretty much everything I own at all price points.

 

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

@milpai good to know... I feel like I've put at least that into it, but yeah I'll do some more listening.

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

@blisshifi I could 100% see how a DAVE owner would love the DAC200, but I’m going to be listing mine now having the Cen D³. The T+A build quality and feature set is just incredible and in my heart of hearts wanted to keep the T+A because I really like how much time, attention and quality craftsmanship went into it, but I feel it’s DSD DAC far outshine it’s Burr Brown DAC chip, which kinda let me down.

It’s resolution and vocal forward presentation would again attract DAVE fans.

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

@bigfatpaulie 

@audphile1 makes a bunch of great points. I left out the Cen D³ doesn't have I²S in if that's something that you wanted, and converts all incoming signals to DSD up to 1024 (no MQA).

There might be an upgrade in the future and has a open module slot.

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