Chord Dave or Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC???

I suggest you add the Bricasti M1 SE DAC to your audition list.  I am running mine balanced, direct into my Hypex NCore NC400 Bridged Mono Block class D Power Amplifiers and it sounds terrific.   

I have not heard the Chord Dave or the Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC's.  The Bricasti M1 DAC is excellent sounding and I highly recommend you look at it.

Your original question was should I purchase the Chord Dave DAC or the Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC.  There are 16 posts "striving" to answer your question.  Some people are recommending the Chord Dave DAC and others like the Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC. Other people, like myself, are recommending you consider other DAC choices, such as the Bricasti M1 SE DAC.  

Some posts are expressing strong likes, or dislikes, for one DAC or another DAC. I believe that everyone posting a similar like question on Audiogon has received similar responses.  Based on my experience, the only way you can make the right decision for yourself is to listen to the DAC’s mentioned above.  I also know, that in many cases, you might not be able to audition some of these DAC’s.

As you already know, everyone posting on Audiogon has a different opinion but the only one that counts is your opinion.  All of the above posts are interesting opinions and information.

I suggest you purchase a USA made DAC since it is easier to ship back for upgrades, repairs, etc.  You need to select the DAC that offers the features you need now and in the immediate future. It is big plus if your DAC can be easily upgraded. For example, I upgraded my Bricasti M1 DAC to the SE DAC version (Ayre offers similar upgrades).  You need to ensure your new DAC is compatible with your existing equipment (for example, balanced connections).  Does your new DAC have special power requirements and need special power cables?  The most important factor is how does your new DAC sound in your room.  If possible, I suggest you borrow one of these DAC’s for a listening session in your system and environment.  I was able to borrow a Bricasti M1 DAC for my home audition.  As noted, I liked it very much and purchased it.  

I also agree with ctsooner's post above that you should audition the Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC.   It is a top tier DAC that sounds excellent and has many useful features.   All of the DAC's listed above are expensive so you need to take the time to ensure you purchase the DAC that is right for you.    

Troy,  I do not understand your comments above regarding the FGPA.  I found two references below that describe Ayre's use of the FGPA.

Note #1: "The Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC uses the ESS ES9038PRO DAC chip which is used for D/A conversion with Ayre's proprietary FPGA-based minimum phase filter.

Note #2:  "The ES9038PRO used in the Ayre QX-5 DAC, combined with Ayre’s custom minimum-phase digital filter, implemented in a low noise FPGA".

What is the difference between the the Chord's FGPA based implementation and Ayre's FPGA-based minimum phase filter implementation? 

Since both DAC's are using a FGPA, does this mean that both DAC's can be upgraded by re-programing the FGPA?   

@czubero, For the very BEST Tidal Steaming sound quality, you have to connect your MP3100HV to your router using a wired ETHERNET Connection.   In addition, several people on Audiogon have reported signal problems when streaming Tidal.  

In my case, my Linksys router could NOT handle the streaming speed and was dropping packets (not good).  In addition, I also discovered I had an out of range cable signal from my ISP and several other ISP related hardware issues that they immediately fixed.  My point is your Internet connection might require some fine tuning in order to get a strong Tidal signal.   

My new Luxul router is working fine and Tidal has no signal related issues.  Tidal Steaming offers excellent sound quality and a very good selection of albums.