Chord Dave or Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC???

The CX feeding the MP is a really interesting combination. Truly looking forward to your impressions and findings once the components and the updates are settled.

I strongly recommend to do a preliminary test with other dacs other than Aurender. I am experiencing USB sync connection issues with Lumin U1 and Melco N1ZH/2 (latest firmware v 3.72). Still working with support in trying to fix them. I believe that USB compatibility on the MP3100 is still very limited when compared to the PDP3000.

Musicfx, nice to hear of your improvements with the new Ethernet cables. I just ordered a AQVOX SE switch with AQVOX cables. T+A is planing to include Deezer in a upcoming firmware. I thought Deezer was already implemented when I purchased the MP3100 per stated in their website. Tidal sound very good but I like Lumin U1 better feeding the MP3100 via AES. Also the Lumin app offers a little more functionality.

This has nothing to do with sound quality but in my research looks to be a bigger and bigger issue: the QX-5 Twenty lacks an HDMI input. Most Blu-ray players that support SACD discs, including players from Sony and Oppo, can only transmit DSD from SACDs via HDMI. As the QX-5 Twenty lacks HDMI… you're out of luck playing DSD except from files on a computer via USB. It remains to be seen how big a real world issue that proves to be, but for me on a recent audition it meant no DSD for me.
see: showbox & kodi

Both DACs are very, very good. But each will sound differently with any different system. You need to either borrow a store DAC with your system, or listen to either with a system that is as close as yours.

Well, it looks like I'll be selling the QX5.  I still love it and may keep it just for the great headphone amp as I listen a bit to some very high end IEM's and also a top ZMF can.  The Memory Player should be here in a week or so and I had the DAC installed internally.  It was time to simplify things as well as upgrade the sound quality.  Very excited.  I'm shocked that more people aren't going with TMP.  Their advances in lowering jitter and their defragmenting hard drive are leaps and bounds better than what's out there.  it's in a different league than any other server on the market.  

I've had both in my system and would go Dave because of Blu2.

I can only chuckle at the "authoritative" comments I read when evaluating luxury 2 channel audio electronics.  All electronics will have their particular sound signature.  While I may lean toward analytical detail and you prefer warm and lush, I truly doubt there are any responsibly assembled $75k 2 channel systems that each of you above could not easily live with for the rest of your lives.  The differences each of us hear in system A or B are merely individual perceptual differences.....whether or not a particular difference is more musical than the other is purely a matter of subjective preference.  

Hint hint.....spend you big money on speakers, amps, preamps, turn tables, linear power supplies......these items could serve you well for decades.  Show me someone who is spending ridiculously high 4 figures on digital storage, streaming, etc gear that will be totally obsolete in 3 years and I'll quickly chase him down to sell a bridge to.     

jymc.  What's your point?  I don't think I fully understand your point.  This is high end audio and of course we buy adn love then sell and miss, but are glad we changed gear.  This is teh component side of audio.

None of us are saying we are keeping the digital gear for years.  As for obsolete, my new server/DAC is fully upgradable adn will continue to be.  Most of the upgrades are software driven and the hardware has been upgraded, but folks who have owned original ones for well over 14 years to more have had the upgrades done at very fair costs based on what I can tell.  Things change and hopefully do get better over time.  I've sent gear back to Ayre for upgrades a few times and loves what they did and the prices were far less than I thought they would be.  I've had friends over teh years send gear back to Vandersteen and felt they to the same value out of it.  There are plenty of companies who do this, so they may become obsolete, but not for well over a 10 year lifespan.  

Making the comment you do is also a value judgement or am I reading your post wrong. I honestly can't tell, sorry.  Thanks.

I own the Ayre QX-5 Twenty. And I have heard DAVE three times in local meet ups. They are both great DACs. Ayre comes with an excellent streamer, and it’s significantly cheaper. 

And for many of us, it's just better tonally. Dave is nice as you said, but from top to bottom, the QX5/20 is a better DAC and not just for cost savings.  I do like and have owned Chord products, so I'm in no way putting them down at all.  All companies have strengths and weaknesses. they all have to make compromises when designing. 

We all just need to figure out what he can compromise on, lol.  Thanks for sharing.

@jymc +1
@ctsooner Got your Memory Player yet?  How's compare to QX5/20?

Not yet as I wanted a different DAC and Stealth caps as well as a few other things.  As for TMP, I've heard it in a few systems now and it's crazy good as a server alone.  Just very relaxed with incredible timing.  It's by far the best digital I've heard to date.  

The DAC is not a quad DAC and it will have special power supplies etc...  All components will be within very tight tolerance's for sound staging etc...  I'll be using HRS Nimbus footers and the Audioquest Hurricane and possibly upgrading to Dragon as the Dragon upgrade on a source is the biggest bang for the buck.  We are shooting for the second week in Sept as I'm not in a hurry.  

@ctsooner What DAC are you talking about?

On Oct 10th, I'll be taking delivery of an all in one The Memory Player by Sam Laufer's company.  www.thememoryplayer.net   He has updated his DAC offering in the player and souped it up big time.  It's the best server I've ever heard by far and they upgrade it remotely on a constant basis as they learn more and more.  Lowest Jitter of any that I've ever seen.  

Wow, an old thread. Not sure what post was removed, but would love to have seen it, lol.  

Update.  I sold my QX5/20 and am using The Memory Player serve/streamer/Roon/DAC and analog volume control.  It's funny as the player has been constantly upgraded with new software monthly and all new hardware since 2018.  It's still the best sounding server I've ever heard.  My buddy who writes for TAS also says it's his favorite one.  He is getting the new Taiko Extreme in for a shootout so to speak, but he's had the other top servers in and still owns TMP as it sounds the best still with the upgrades.  I had them add a DAC and analog control so I can run them balanced into my Vandersteen MH-HPA. 

fun to go back and read about digital products that are a few years old now. Both Dave and QX5 are still outstanding.