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?
I bought the Peachtree GAN1 today. I had Ric's first modded Voyager 350 GAN amp so if he is enthusiastic about the GAN1 I want to check it out. The idea of less wires and boxes does make for a compelling argument. @ricevs If you need a GAN1 unit to mod get in touch with me in January. I will send my unit up to you and you can figure it out.
|
@verdantaudio How are you going to get the music bits into the SPDIF of the GAN1? |
The GAN1 did not sound anything like this to me, but I only had 12 hours on mine. On my well broken in LS50 Meta speakers the sound was a little rolled off and not as clear as my Benchmark stack. The Benchmark stack is likely considered too neutral by a lot of people, but perfect for my ears, LA4 preamp | AHB2 monos | slightly warm Musetec 005 DAC | Audience FrontRow speaker cable | Audience AU24SE XLR and RCA | Fibre streaming. On my much cleaner sounding RAAL SR1a earphone, via an RAAL adapter box, Audience AU24SX speaker cables, a brand new WyWire "Silver" SPDIF cable extending out the previously mentioned Fibre streaming, the GAN1 sound was amazing. The very best of 2-channel gear on these earphones which will show everything in the chain. This was better than the $30K warm system I sold that was the prior very best 2-channel with the SR1a, CODA 07x preamp | KRELL DUO 175XD amp or CODA #8 amp | Musetec 005 DAC | Audience FrontRow speaker cable | same streaming as before. The current draw on the amp using this adapter box approach was more current usage than with my Thiel CS3.7 speakers (sold). The amp gets a workout. I know this because my old CODA #8 amp had meters and that showed the current draw between the SR1a and the Thiel CS3.7. My 2-channel gear can only get you so far with the SR1a because of the adapter box. It can never approach the best dedicated SR1a amp. The GAN1 so far is the 2nd best sound I have on the SR1a. Hopefully it does not get bright with more break-in. Though I have never had an amp go from rolled off sounding (my opinion) to bright. I expect a bit more clarity on top and would be shocked it got beyond a neutral level.
|
@verdantaudio I know that you have done extensive testing with DACs and I have read almost everything you wrote here about it. It was very informative. I believe what you are hearing today with the GAN1. I have done "amp rolling" with my RAAL SR1a earphones over the last 2 years. I have a very high opinion of them, and I wanted to find the best gear for them. I tried 10 2-channel amps with them, $2K - $11K range. One thing that was a factor in my evaluations was my physical reaction via ear fatigue. I get fatigue easily with bad sound and the SR1a can bring that on with a bad pairing. The only amps that did not cause any fatigue were the KRELL 175XD, CODA #8, and Parasound A21+, I attributed that to the slight warmth of the amp, preamp, and DAC. The GAN1 trumped those 3 amps with the SR1a, it sounded the best. Thus, I do not think of it as bright. My ears would have been screaming, especially since I was testing with hard rock/heavy metal to purposefully try and cause ear pain.
|
