2. digital
  3. 179846-175658

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?

gregjacob

Showing 4 responses by whipsaw

whipsaw
753 posts
 

I went from the Pontus II to an Aqua La Scala Optologic, and found it to be a significant upgrade. I have not compared it with either a Terminator or Holo May, but have absolutely no interest in changing at this point.

whipsaw
753 posts
 

@curiousjim 

Aqua claims approximately 10,000 hours, equivalent to two hours listening a day for 13 years. The tubes are not expensive, either.

whipsaw
753 posts
 

@pennfootball71

The Lampizator may well be a fine DAC, but your ludicrous characterization of the Aqua DACs raises serious questions about the value of your related opinions.

whipsaw
753 posts
 

FWIW I actually owned, and forgot to mention, a Merason DAC-1 after the Pontus II, and found the Aqua to be superior in my system. I did like the sound of the Merason, but, like some professional reviewers, found it to be a touch too smooth. If I were listening to a lot of recordings that were not of very high quality, the Merason would have been very attractive, as it hides flaws very well. But that comes at the expense of the loss of some detail, and it became obvious when I compared the two.

Also, though I have no incentive to help sell any Aqua products, don’t forget that the La Scala is designed in a modular fashion which will allow it to be easily upgraded in the future, and that could prove to be a significant advantage over most DAC designs.

More to discover