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Best used or new DAC under $3500

What would be the best DAC for under $3500, new or used? I currently use the Chord Dave and I LOVE it. However, I'm looking to downgrade to save some dough. Some reference points:

1) Yggdrasil:  Sold it as the staging was too narrow/flat and it seemed a little lifeless
2) Ayre QB-9 DSD: Feel its a bit too bright/tizzy - at this point I'm done trying Sabre DACs.

Can anyone recommend a DAC that is not a mainstream sabre chip based DAC? I dont mind it if its an older generation or vintage DAC either - Just something I can get for under $3500. I don't want a discussion to defend Sabre DACs please.

Thanks!

jozurr

Showing 7 responses by gdhal

gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
1) Yggdrasil: Sold it as the staging was too narrow/flat and it seemed a little lifeless
As I've read on head-fi in such an instance, "you’ve made someone else very happy"!
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Curious on which of the three Dacs listed below are better since Benchmark utilizing something no other Dac use, inter-sampling

Supposedly the Yggdrasil also uses something no other DAC uses: 

Yggdrasil is the *world’s only closed-form multibit DAC*, delivering 21 bits of resolution with no guessing anywhere in the digital or analog path. We’ve thrown out delta-sigma D/As and traditional digital filters to preserve the original samples all the way through from input to output

gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Yggdrasil is old news

But their upgraded analog board is new news.

gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
... I wanted something with tube(s) that was natural sounding, musical, transparent with no oversampling, filtering or buffering and now have this Dac in my system...  the music has a wholeness to it that’s hard to explain but the room is alive with life-like musicians/instruments.....

I can relate to your quote. As BorderPatrol states "the most natural sounding DAC’s are usually NOS (no over-sampling) designs based around the R-2R resistor ladder chips with no digital filtering". 

Best of luck with it.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Best to if your up to it compare the two with their data sheets.

Hi George. I'll leave the technical dissection to you if you don't mind. I have looked at the AD5791 previously, but can't say I completely understand it. By all means, let me know how the two DAC chips compare. Besides, isn't it you who states that the chip itself is only a small percentage of the overall sound. I'm led to believe the implementation of the chip and rest of the analog circuit is paramount. 
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Fairly certain I know which dac is the best under $3500.
@nitewulf 

And I'm fairly certain I know what you know in this regard :)

I've read it could be considered the best DAC under $5000. :)

gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
@nitewulf 

I've only read positive things about the metrum pavane 3. No doubt  you've made a great choice. And I too prefer the sound of multi-bit ladder in comparison to delta-sigma.

I haven't checked extensively, but isn't the metrum pavane 3 DAC more expensive (new) than $3500?
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