2. digital
  3. 161843-123090

Border Patrol Se-i vs Audio Mirror Troubadour MK III

Happy Thanksgiving all.
I am looking to transition from my Heed Abacus DAC; used with my vintage California Audio Labs CD player to a more analogue sounding DAC.  The Heed has improved my CD sound, but still is a bit harsh and a tad light weighted.
I am looking into Border Patrol and Audio Mirror as options (  budget constrains me to 1500 price point ).
Anyone have any experience with these two products?
Thanks and stay well.
MP
rivinyl

Showing 3 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
mesch mentions an important distinction on the bp... the choice of putting a tube in the power supply stage and NOT in the output stage always struck me as an odd design choice

also -- other very natural sounding dacs in the same league (and cost) to what have been mentioned are:

metrum jade/amethyst/octave
mhdt (various models) all very lovely
ayre codex
van alstine tube dacs
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
tubadour 3 se
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
i have had both -- still have the tubador, sold the bp

to me, while both sound nice, the tubador is more analog-sounding, more relaxed and full sounding... felt the bp still had a teeny bit of unwanted digital edge, and did not portray soundstaging/imaging as convincingly in comparison
More to discover