Best DACs under $7,000.00

I owned a PS Audio Directstream which I was happy with until I bought a Holo Spring DAC for my other system. I love the sound of Holo. I have not heard the May DAC.

I preferred a Lampi over any Aqua offering. Tried the Holo May, very good DAC, but the Lampi has more depth, and connects me more emotionally to the music (fwiw)

The only other DAC I heard I wish I had is the Accuphase DC-1000, simply the best digital source I ever heard, but it is 30k…

One thing to consider is feeding clean power to your DAC, keep some money for the smallest Elite Plixir Conditionner, the difference it makes is huge, I tested it in numerous systems and each time the background noise dissipates, more meat in the midrange, smooth treble!

And they'll say the 10K ones "punch" much, much higher or multiples above. : )

 

reviewers have said punches in the 10 K level

Would you please provide links to the reviews wherein reviewers said it punches in the $10k level?

I love my Musetec 005.

To juanmanuelfangioii:

Agreed.  

I’ve written about it before, but I’ve compared the T+A DAC 200 against a modded DirectStream DAC, a Lampizator Baltic 3 with $1K in NOS tubes, the Mola Mola Tambaqui, and the $38.5K T+A SDV 3100 HV. While the T+A reference was the clear winner, the DAC 200 was also a clear winner across the remainder of the competition. It has nearly as much body and harmonics of the Lampizator with all of the speed and detail of the Mola Mola while being more fluid and coherent, where the Mola Mola can come off to be more clinical/analytical. Decay and bass definition is much improved in the DAC 200 where in the Mola Mola it can sound dry and processed. 

I bought Denafrips Terminator Plus to upgrade to my internal DAC of Hegel 590. TP is an amazing in terms of sound stage, detail, clarity and presentation. It is simply amazing. I was able to compare to dCS Bartok, and I definitely find TP superior by miles. TP is at the level of dCS Rossini. Denafrips is the best DAC for the money. Buy a model in your budget. Please always remember a DAC is always as good as how much your speakers can reveal of those details.

I love my Simaudio 680D and have for several years now. It is over the $7K threshold however the Simaudio 280D is a excellent DAC and has DSD and MQA if that is important to you, AES, XLR, RCA, USB, BT, WIFI.....

Can be had for under $2500.00 used. 

Check it out.  High Quality | 280D Streaming Best DAC | Audiophile | MOON - Simaudio

@bassdude the T+A is not R2R, it's Delta-Sigma based

@mbmi I can attest to Vlad's excellent III SE, owned it for years. His new cap less, transformer output sound very intriguing. 

If you like very detailed sound and all pcm files played in DSD  -    APL DSD AR dac.

I am really happy with my entry levelTotalDAC 

From France

I've heard good things about the TotalDac line.  They have been used in show rooms with very sophisticated systems.

Thanks to Everyone for contributing your thoughts and passions to this thread:

Obviously, there is a broad selection in this price range.

In summary and for your research benefit, here is a wrap on what was suggested:

DACs – $5,000 - $7,000 range, (not listed by any rating):

TotalDAC  d1-tube-mk2 DAC

Kitsune Holo May DAC

Sonnet Pasithea DAC

Denafrips Terminator II or Plus + DAC

Aqua La Scala Optologic

Bricasti M1 SE MDX with network card

T+A DAC 200

Lampizator Amber 4 DAC

Lampizator Baltic 3 DAC

Merason DAC 1

Weiss 502 DAC

SPL Director Mk2 Preamp DAC

Chord Hugo TT2 DAC

Doge 7 with NOS tubes

PrimaLuna EVO 100 DAC

Mola Mola’s Tambaqui DAC

Callista USB Cable

Audio Mirror Toubador IV SE DAC

Musetec 005 DAC

Simaudio 680D

Mojo Audio Mystique X SE D/A

 

Other components / items listed:

Audiowise SRC.DX USB to DX converter

Network Acoustics ENO Ethernet filter

Elite Plixir Conditioner

Yes, several broke the $ limit and would be eliminated off my short list of these.

As I was looking over the summary list, I realized that I left one out that was mentioned:

Wyred4sound 10th anniversary DAC

I’ve taken the list and am going through each one to create a "Top 5". I’ll let that sit for a while and then loop back. I know many of these DACs would give excellent performance, so deciding just one is tough. The price does influence.

 

Not at all to diminish Phastm3s post, a thorough comparison is extremely valuable.  But just understand that is with his ears, in his room, and his system. Another might do the same comparison and come to a different conclusion.

To vthokie83

Thanks and so true.  You could add the type of music you are most drawn to.  Some people build their system around natural acoustics and deep jazz.  Some build around electronica and high bass drive.  That's what makes finding the best fit for your DAC more than a simple answer.  Thanks.

The Holo May is a very good sounding DAC but only in NOS mode while being fed a massively oversampled signal from HQPlayer or something similar. This is when it starts to pull away from the others IMO in terms of front to back realism and true to life tone. I would avoid its internal OS modes.

Find it interesting that the Swiss made Merason DAC-1 is not on the radar. 

I did demo one of these in my home a 2 years ago and was impressed. Tad warm but very clear, detailed and great separation. 

This just popped into my head, that happens a lot after having a mini stroke from to many shots to the head playing hockey for 45 + years. 

Sorry should have thought of it sooner. 

Hi Jerryg123,

Yes, if you look on the list in the thread, the Merson DAC-1 is in fact listed.  If you look for reviews of this model, you'll find some solid support.  It won Editor's Choice at The Ear magazine and an enthusiastic review in Part-Time Audiophile.  Seems like a good DAC in this price category.

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.

So this is challenging...you are looking at trying to get an analog/neutral sound which only is relevant within the context of your system.  Looking at the two other components that you have (PrimaLuna and Harbeth), I would expect your system to be neutral to a hair warm which means if you go with too warm of a DAC, you are likely to end up with the system sounding dark or laid back.  I would look neutral to a hair bright and you end up with a natural and engaging sound. 

I would look at:

- Bricasti M3 (or M1 used) as these are dead neutral.  Soundstage is huge and they are detailed and engaging.  Incredibly musical and fun to listen too

- Rockna Wavedream Edition SE.  Your amp is single ended.  The Rockna is incredibly detailed.  The soundstage is massive and it is one of the most neutral units I have ever heard.  Part of the challenge in describing it is that the sound doesn't stand out in any way. 

- Audiobyte HydraVox - it is similar to the Edition SE in sound but is FPGA rather than R2R.  It is wonderful sounding and with the HUB (which is hard to get) it is really great sounding and Roon ready.  The challenge is that when the DAC changes tracks it makes a clicking sound.  

- On the brighter side, the Weiss 501/502 will be in that price range used.  It is definitely forward vs neutral but with the very musical system you have could land you in a good place.  

- Chord TT2 is a great DAC.  It is brighter and will lack the scale of the Weiss or the Rockna in terms of soundstage width and height but has incredible depth and stability.  No one is better than chord between the speakers.  

I know this is unhelpful as all it does is add to your list which is already incredibly long.  Best thing to do is borrow a unit of two and see how it performs.  You might try a neutral unit and a brighter unit to see how you enjoy them with your system.  

The only way you can tell is to try one in your system.  

Full disclosure, I am a retailer for all of these brands.  I have tested lots of DACs but have never heard the Terminator or Holo May and can't speak how they will compare.  

Sorry lazy eye...

 

@vthokie83 that is very true. Very rarely did I have the same speakers, amps, or streamer with each different dac. Way too many variables in my system to give a reliable opinion, but I really like the T+A Dac200 w/ the Lumin U2 mini :)

+1 for the Merason DAC1.  It's towards the analog end of the spectrum while having a lot of detail, a very wide soundstage and excellent bass.  Some folks love to focus on resolution, but I find that once you hit a certain level, more resolution isn't always a good thing.  My direct comparison was with the Weiss 501/502 and the Chord stuff.  I much preferred the Merason.  to either of those.

Thanks  badgerdms.  That's the kind of feedback that DAC hunters are looking for.  It's scary enough to plunk down thousands on a review. So the more we receive feedback and it gets reinforced by different users in varying environments, the better the chances of being pleased with the purchase.  The Merason is sounding nicer all the time.

To phastm3:

Thanks for looping back and responding to that.  You are right, the rest of the system can completely changed the opinion of a DAC.  But you did stimulate a lot of folks to look into the T+A Dac200.  Me included.  Thanks.

Thanks verdantaudio, for the open pitch for those models.  You were trying to assess my audio setup but I did withhold a pretty important piece of information.  My main speakers are actually Daedalus floorstanding, custom made.  I didn't refer to them because I didn't think many people would even know them.  I do have a set of mid-size Harbeth cabinet speakers.  But comparing these two isn't fair.  The Daedalus have a lifelike clarity, transparency, soundstage, and depth that the Harbeths can't touch. You are right.  When the Harbeths are connected, they are softer, warmer, slightly less detailed and might need a completely different DAC than the Daedalus.  Either way, I'll be looking at the list you've posted and checking each one out.  Thanks for adding your thoughts to this.

Not mentioned yet is the Ayre QB-9 Twenty. I think Ayre has some other models under the $7K range.

But, if you are willing to wait for a used unit, the Meitner MA 3 should be in your range.

As far as the Daedalus speakers go, one of Audiogon's best members, Almarg, owned a pair.

Bob

LessLoss Echos End R2R: Just another thought.

LessLoss Echo's End R-2R DAC| Atelier 13 Audio (atelier13-usa.com)

To tvad:

Yes, I'm looking for transparent / neutral. Accurate without dry clinical. I will mention that Lou Hinkley, the creator of the Daedalus line, likes LTA amps and Lampizator DACS.  They have all worked together at trade shows.  I bought the PrimaLuna because it had some of the traits of the LTA but didn't hit my budget as hard while I'm building so many components at once.  I think the PrimaLuna is, for a tube amp, not too warm /tuby.  It has a nice, neutral sound that pairs well with the Daedalus.  My search has been this:  I bought the well-reviewed Denafrips Pontus II and Denafrips Iris DDC to enjoy while saving for a better DAC.  So whatever I buy at this point has to be a good jump *up* from there, thus the $7,000.00 cap. If Lou Hinkley's choice for his speakers is of the Lampizator line, then that might be a starting parameter soundwise. Of course, we are all looking for the most analog sound possible.

To jerryg123:

The LessLoss Echos End is a beauty.  Would love to hear what it can do.  Can't find any reviews yet on the 5K model. Some buyers sent in reviews and their comparisons with other well-known DACs set the bar high.

@gregjacob

Here’s Holo Audio May KTE and Denafrips Terminator + comparison with some sound samples (hard to judge on youtube but gives some idea).

May KTE vs. Denafrips T+

Another YouTube review (part 1, you’ll find part 2 there as well).

May KTE review

I have considered these 2 DACs but in the end went with the Bricast M3 w/network player which allowed me to get rid of my Lumin streamer (one less box to deal with). Built in the USA, solid design, looks great IMO and I dig the sonic presentation (agree with @verdantaudio here on his description). I use Network Acoustics Eno streaming system (Ethernet cable plus filter) to feed the DAC and find the M3 in this configuration to be transparent, resolving, neutral and not analytical by any means. It throws a very good size soundstage as well. I can listen to it fatigue-free endlessly without any desire to lower the volume or walk out of the room to take a break. There are no digital artifacts that I can detect and the tone of instruments as rendered by the M3 is very natural. The M1SE is supposed to be even better but I never auditioned it so can’t offer any experience based thoughts. 

I’m probably going to state the obvious here but I think there’s almost always going to be a compromise with the DACs in this price range. You really must audition a DAC extensively in your system for at least several days and not rely on the first impressions.

Crane Song HEDD Quantum gets you very close to the Nagra HD DAC X at a street price of 4299. Seductive analog sound from both units with the Nagra just a bit smoother.

Eye opening to see all the DAC's recommended. Pitily haven't compared the Crane Song to any of them.

* There is an Analog to Digital converter integrated into the Crane Song. Prolly most users on this forum will never use that capability.

To audphile1:

Thanks for taking the time to share advice.  The higher-end Bricasti with network looks great and losing boxes and connectors would be welcome. As the discussion has progressed, of course, the temptation is to up the ante to try and reach a different level. It might be worth it to just hold with the equipment one has for a while longer, save up more and leap upward to a more worthwhile change. Thanks so much.

To chowkwan:

No, you are the first to put forward the Crane Song DAC.  So much of what is reviewed, esp. professionally, will focus on larger manufacturers and mainstream usage.  Small independent companies with long wait times to order will always fall below.  But if the Crane DAC is as good as you say--comparing it with a $70k Nagra--it should be splashing all over the audiophile forums. I couldn't quickly find any thorough reviews on it or comparisons with other DACs.  But this thread may generate fresh buzz.  Thanks for bringing this to the table.

I would definitely revise my suggestion based on the different speakers.  Bricasti would remain.  As would Audiobyte and Rockna.  I would also look at the Wavelight from Rockna which is a bit warmer than the Bricasti and I would definitely second Aqua.  It will be warmer than Bricasti but is good sounding.  Don’t bother with Weiss or Chord. 

Try to find a used Bricasti M1 SE with Mdx upgrade. You’ll be surprised by the amazing quality.

Agree the Bricasti M1 SE is wonderful as is the M3. Can't go wrong with either IMO

@gregjacob If you have Daedalus speakers and aspire to LTA electronics, reach out to Nichloas at LTA.  He owns Daedalus speakers and I know he has had extensive time with the Lampizator and the Holo Audio May DACs (and probably others). 

I own a LTA Z40+ in one room (with a McGary/Backert Labs combo in the other) and have Volti's and Fleetwood Devilles.  My speakers are going to be a little different than yours but I have some idea about the sonic signature you may be looking for.  Agree with Verdant that the Weiss/Chords are not what you are looking for.  I suspect that Bricasti may not be either.  I had an M3 in both of my systems for about a week--really engaging but a little lighter/brighter in my rig than I wanted.

If you are by chance in the DC area, you should set up a visit at LTA--they have some of your options (as they will at the Capitol Audio Fest in their headphone lounge). 

To Badgerdms:

Thanks so much for your advice. I will reach out to Nicholas to see what he recommends at the stage. I keep having a soft spot for Lampizator…

@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.

To Facten:

Thanks for that good input!  The Aqua La Scala has enthusiastic reviews. I’ll put it in the top 3-4 DACs that I’m down to. 
 

To Badgerdms:  I talked with Nicholas at LTA. They still favor the Lampizators but also recommended the Halo Audio May if I shy away from tubes. They have paired the May with their systems recently at shows and gotten great reviews. 

I would think the Chord TT2 would be the best match as others have suggested. I base that on how it would work with your existing gear, using a tube amp and Harbeths, it would balance them out nicely. I think if I had neutral, analytical sounding speakers and amplifiers I would want an R2R DAC like Holo Audio to bring an organic richness, but with your kit the purity, accuracy and detail of a Chord DAC would maximize the sound of your other components, which have a character of their own that you like. And you can upgrade it with the m-scaler at a later date.

 

Edit: sorry you can ignore this comment, I typed it before I read your update about not using the Harbeths, I'm not familiar with the Dadealus so couldn't really help. But I think all these suggestions are great and your system should sound epic with a nice upgrade. Good luck in your search.

Thanks Tom!  Good suggestion and I will certainly look at the TT2. Kind regards. 

Calling the Bricasti M3 “light” and/or “bright” goes against the reviews, as well as my own experience owning one for a couple years (yes, with MDX). It was never light or bright in my system, through a few system iterations. The M3 is ‘warmer feeling’ than the M1 due to M3’s low end performance over the M1, combined with M1 being more detailed over the M3. I also owned Daedalus speakers for almost a decade. I see no synergy issues happening between Bricasti and Daedalus. Daedalus are powerful, sometimes forward (in the good way) and not ‘lean’ but def not fat/round in the bass, so IMO, something like the M3 would have great synergy.