Best DACs under $7,000.00

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

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.

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  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.

+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.

@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 :)

Sorry lazy eye...

 

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.  

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

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

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

I am really happy with my entry levelTotalDAC 

From France

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

@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. 

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

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’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. 

To juanmanuelfangioii:

Agreed.  

I love my Musetec 005.

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 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!

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.

After extensive research and listening ........I went with Vlad and his American built AUDIO MIRROR TOUBADOR IV SE DAC that many reviewers have said punches in the 10 K level and costs $3500..all point to point...hand made...no circuit boards...sold direct..( the best way to buy)..It even has 1 tube......Just ordered yesterday....can't wait. There are ALOT of options out there.

Well it is all subjective and This poll can only be used for making a list of potential candidates.

The OP will have to narrow the list down. Based on one commenter here I would toss his poll numbers into the percentage error bucket and move on. 

 

 

@phastm3

"I’ve had Aqua Lascala, Holo May, Terminator2, Audiomirror T3, Weiss 502, Musetec 005, Topping D90, Rockna Wavelight, Lab12 Dac1 Reference and the T+A Dac200 surpasses all of them..."

I’d be tempted to check out the T+A DAC200, based on this comment. Until now, I’ve been considering the Terminator 2, Holo May... or... possibly the AudioMirror. But, now... I’m not so sure - might want to check out the DAC200 now...

I guess I’d be tempted to give a lot of credibility to someone who’s checked out all of these DAC’s and settled on the DAC200...

Would be interesting to hear from others that have tried the DAC200 and compared to others???

Though... I’m pretty sure... it will likely be an R2R DAC of some kind (though, I’m not sure the DAC200 is an R2R DAC).

My experience with the "lowly" Schitt Yggy has persuaded me of that... I think... maybe...

The T+A DAC 200 has created a lot of buzz.  It appears to be one of the top contenders in this price bracket.    Yes, thanks @phastm3 for sharing.

The Lampizator Baltic 3 synergizes well w/ my Innuos ZENith mk3. NO DDC, direct w/ a Callisto USB. I have tried 2 DDC's in line and it sounded better without. This is not true of other USB cables on this combo though. That may put you over your $7k budget. Also the Innuos Sense 2.0 software was more to my preference over ROON 1.8 build by just enough so that I switched over.

Good luck w/ whatever you choose. This combo works for me. 

@phastm3 

Wow! You have a lot of fantastic gear. What is your favorite setup? 

I will stick with my Tambaqui.  It is very revealing but not at all harsh or tiresome with good electronics.  Compare prices after talking with the distributor, not the list price.. 

To  @pennfootball71:

I haven't written anything about the Aqua DACs at all.  Others in this thread have mentioned them but I've never seen one in person.  Your critique is aimed at others in this conversation.

I know someone who’s an official repairperson for Lamps. They come in for repair pretty regularly. What does he own? A Holo May and a Holo Spring. Super well made and I’ve heard them both. They sound incredible.

@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.

 

To pennfootball71:  Yes, the Lamp Baltic keeps getting passionate reviews.  At the top of the budget but has a large fan club.  So wish these units were available to listen to or had more comparative reviews.  But the market is crowded and I'm sure it's tough for reviewers to try and cover all this.  From this thread and all the reviews online, I would certainly put the Lampizator in a short list. Thanks.

To Undefined: Well, it looks like we share some of the same musical tastes! The PrimaLuna DAC received some great reviews in 2019-2020. It has solid availability and price (much less than the budget I set for this thread). I really hadn’t looked at it in this wish list... Will go back and check out. Thanks so much. If you enjoy your Harbeths but are looking for the next step, you might check out Daedalus speakers, hand-built for a lifetime. I think the transparency surpasses the Harbeths as well as fabulous tone. I have both and won’t part with either.

All aqua dacs sounded horrible horrible!

Mytek stuff is too bright and not a good time either.

Ok I heard the Holo May it’s the most over rated Chinese box I ever encountered. It’s should be half the price for the way it rolls off treble and bass is not as strong as other higher level DAC’s I heard. Try a Lampizator Baltic 3 in this price range of 6500. It makes the May look like a tinker toy in comparison.

@curiousjim 

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

Ha, I have Harbeths (C7xd and P3xd) with the PrimaLuna EVO 400 as well. I have the PrimaLuna EVO 100 tube DAC and love it.

Thanks adasdad.  Nice answer and good, broken down details.  I'lll be looking at every link to see what might be improved, piece by piece.  So good of you to take the time to detail it all. 👍

 

PS Audio Direct Stream around that price.  Plus they have a trade in policy and try and buy.

Third vote for Aqua. I was impressed with the Aqua Voce S3 which really elevated my system. It’s less than the Aqua La Scala, around $4,700 new, or around $3,000 pre-owned if you can find one.