@audphile1 It's itneresting that you like the Coda so much, even next to big 'ole mono's! Good luck in your hunt for a DAC and I hope you report back on your findings!
@tweak1 I am not using a transport. I use a Lumin U1 as a streamer.
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
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- 63 posts total
@bigfatpaulie thanks! Will do. |
@bigfatpaulie Really enjoyed your listening notes, thx for sharing! +1 on Playback Designs...sounds like you heard the MPS-8 if it also has a CD drive? I've been listening to the latest MPD-8 for an extended home demo and suspect it may be a keeper. And I have a DAC twice the price in the house... |
@metaldetektor Thank you! Yes, I've heard both the MPS-8 AND MPD-8.
After listing to so many DACs, more and less expensive, I am ever more convinced that there no DAC's competitive with the MPD-8. To make it a fair fight, you have to compare it to a good vinyl system as all other digital is a very different sound.
One of the dealers I know very well has a Clearaudio Statement V2 and I think this would be a more comparable source. |
- 63 posts total