Ayre QX-5 Twenty

What about the Bricasti M21 DAC? "With the Bricasti M21’s advanced architecture its now possible to select, evaluate and enjoy three independent digital to analog converter signal paths: 24 bit delta sigma, 20 bit ladder DAC and true 1 bit DSD for DSD content. Engineering autonomous conversion paths creates a super-efficient platform for you to enjoy your music and explore the advantages of each. The M21 also incorporates the Bricasti Design high-performance MDx processor".

"In addition, the M21 connects seamlessly with your network offering one of the most advantages avenues for audio playback. Once detected by your network via wired ethernet, the M21 is recognized as a DNLA device and becomes a powerful media renderer offering pristine data transmission over long distances, without loss of signal or degradation. Now your server can be placed anywhere on the network and run remotely lending to a clutter-free listening environment".

"The M21 digital input selection is well appointed to fit most any system. It also features a fully differential design which creates a less resistant output signal path".

I like my Bricasti M21 DAC very much because it sounds great. The DAC has a 24-bit delta sigma DAC, a 20-bit ladder DAC and true 1 bit DSD for DSD content. It includes an Ethernet connection so the M21 is recognized as a DNLA device and becomes a powerful media renderer.

As an example of great product support, my Bricasti DAC was upgraded for $1,000. Their MDx board replaced the existing board in the DAC. The next Bricasti upgrade was a free firmware chip program that needed to be inserted into the DAC to complete the upgrade. Both upgrades greatly improved the DAC for a very reasonable cost. This is an example of a company supporting it customers.

Another lower cost option is the Bricasti M1 Series II DAC.

Click here for Bricasti Web Site

I’ve owned the phenomenal Ayre Acoustic QX-5 Twenty streaming DAC for about four years now. And all I can tell you is that it’s my end-game, forever DAC. There’s a multitude of great DACs out there on the market today and, obviously, it’s impossible to hear them all. I was very fortunate to had been able to a do an extensive audition of the QX-5 Twenty at my local dealers before purchasing. At the dealers, I was also able to do a side-by-side comparison of the QX-5 Twenty with the wonderful dCS Bartok Streaming DAC, which I was fully prepared to purchase. But the QX-5 Twenty performed so fabulously well, I didn’t think the dCs DAC was worth the extra cash, so I took the QX-5 Twenty home with me, and never looked back. Happy listening.

@kenn