I'll 2nd the nod on Mojo Audio , had an EVO , but unless you can get one via used sale, or a trade-in or demo from Mojo it will be out of your price range.
A DAC that gets acclaim in your price range is the Merason DAC 1
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?
Showing 4 responses by facten
@gregjacob Link below to a review of the Amber 4; haven't seen a thread on WBF about it
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@gregjacob - If you read some of the Lampi threads over on WhatsBestForum I'm not sure you can single out a particular sound of Lampi DACs as folks seem to do a lot of tube rolling in them. Not a bad thing , I have tube equipment and do likewise, just pointing out that it may be something to consider when you look further into them. In the additional for whatever it is worth category of comments, I expect that the Aqua LaScala would be a good fit with the Daedalus. An earlier version of it was compared in a review a few years back with the Modwright Elyse, my recollection of the review was they were similar in sound presentation with a slight overall edge to the Aqua LaScala. I had the Elyse in my main system with my Daedalus Argos V2 and they paired up well. |