Best DACs under $7,000.00
I'm tentatively beginning the search for a DAC upgrade. Currently, I have Innuos Zen MK3 as a streamer connected via USB to a Denafrips Iris DDC that is connected via I2S to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC. The Pontus II is excellent but I feel it's the one point where I could gain incremental improvement toward that illusive natural, layered, analog end-of-the-rainbow. I simply can't / won't spend above $5,000.00 - $7,000.00 on the DAC. The rest of my system: top-of-line Prima Luna Evo 400 Integrated Amp and a set of Harbeth speakers. Right now, I'm looking at Denafrips Terminator II or Holo Audio May DAC. I've never seen an a/b comparison of these two, but both stand out and have a following. Of course, the unsettling thing is DACs have evolved so much and are still in a blooming state technologically, making it a given that whatever we have today will probably be surpassed by better for less later, like electric vehicles. But that's the nature of the beast. Does anyone have alternative suggestions in this current climate?
Before upgrading your DAC perhaps you should check out the suggestion from by @maurice89 by trying the Elite Plixir Conditioner first! I would have the conditioner connected to your source (streamer) and current DAC if you go for the smallest one. This may inadvertently improve you current system immeasurably. Or at least put in a solid footing for further upgrade paths later.
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@rwwear that Holo May YouTube video you linked to is a pretty convincing reason why that DAC should not be ignored! It might very well be an expensive DAC - but think of the money you could save on the digital transport! With that much galvanic isolation and attention to jitter you can put just about anything ahead of it and still get the same sound quality - for example - you could find a low cost old Chromecast Audio and that would sound equally as good as a Lumin, Auralic, dCS and others for example (only when something is as well engineered at the Holo). The transport usually does matter - but with a Holo - not so much! Even expensive interconnects can be ignored! Just use a laptop computer - more fully featured than most dedicated streamers - it just doesn't matter with the Holo May it would seem. Great video.
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