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DAC finalist please help

Hi all,
hope everyone is doing well this holiday season.
I’m back on the DAC hunt and I have narrowed down to these different but compelling DAC’s.
Unlike a lot of you guys on Audiogon I’m not a millionaire : (  My budget is only 1,500 bucks but I think there are some good choices in that range.
If any of you folks have experience with any of these pieces I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

I’m replacing a McCormack DAC-1 that I have owned since new.
I still listen and continue to buy Redbook CD’s so something that would be kind to those is important.
I’m trying to make the determination on overall what would work and sound the best.
NOS with tubes is intriguing as is R2R as is just a good chip set.
I’m looking at a Aragon D2A used $600 for redbook playback and maybe teaming it up with a Xiangsheng 05B to handle modern formats DSD etc, less than 500 bucks the two together would be just north of a grand.
On the NOS front the Audio Mirror Tubadour III NOS w/tubes, new $1,500.

The Denafrips Ares II R2R used about 800 bucks, or the Musician - Pegasus, new around $1,100.
And then there is the Line Magnetic 502CA tube, used 700-800 dollars.
I love the look of the LM and it's got a great tube stage, I definitely have a bit of a crush on this one.

I realize I’m a little bit all over the Map here, but again if anyone has thoughts or has /had one of these DAC’s I’m all ears...Many thanks and Happy Holidays!HG
grossman616
58 responses Add your response
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@jjss49 Agreed on both accounts.

Congrats to the OP on your purchase, glad it's working out. Always nice to hear about a new product, thanks.

Have to disagree on the Audio Mirror criticism though. I have opened my Tubadour to put in solid core silver wiring, low mass silver RCAs, and big solid core copper coming off the transformer. Nothing at all that concerned me about workmanship or quality when I was in there. I've got a picture of my unit opened up on my system page if anyone wants to check for themselves. 
whipsaw
758 posts
 
@rossman

Musician Pegasus r2r DAC is more than comparable in sound and build quality to Denifrips Pontus II. Listened and compared them both and saved over $1K by going with the Pegasus. Internals are nearly identical.

They are not even close to being "identical" internally. Readers should search for images and compare. To use the most obvious example, the Pontus employs two toroidal transformers, as opposed to one for the Pegasus.

I have no opinion on the quality of the Pegasus, but it is not closely comparable, in terms of components, to the Pontus.
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@whipsaw

Musician Pegasus r2r DAC is more than comparable in sound and build quality to Denifrips Pontus II. Listened and compared them both and saved over $1K by going with the Pegasus. Internals are nearly identical.

They are not even close to being "identical" internally. Readers should search for images and compare. To use the most obvious example, the Pontus employs two toroidal transformers, as opposed to one for the Pegasus.

I have no opinion on the quality of the Pegasus, but it is not closely comparable, in terms of components, to the Pontus.

i agree w you 100% -- people who post this BS without the slightest clue....
falconquest's avatar
falconquest
1,108 posts
 
I don't mean to change the direction of this thread but anyone compare the Audio Mirror Tubadour with the Holo Audio May?
boucher
14 posts
 
No one has mentioned the granddaddy of NOS DACs and still the one to beat for musicality (IMHO): Audio Note UK.
tweak1
3,642 posts
 
check out the Musician Aquarius (above the Pegasus) $2800
I just watched a YTV review of the Musician Aquarius DAC - Technically Impressive R-2R Sound

While I am very interested in the Audio GD, this is much smaller, and rack friendly


"Only" $2800 and comes in white or black


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5pTPCtNJ6M&t=905s
yakbob
462 posts
 
@boucher, the audio note line certainly has a lot of loyal fans and I've read nothing but positive reviews on their sound quality, but they're severely limited where connectivity or usability are concerned.
213cobra
885 posts
 
MHDT Atlantis (under $1000) or Pagoda. Buy a 5670 > 6dja/6922 tube socket converter for the buffer tube, and then get a nice NOS ecc88, e88cc, 6922 or CCa tube to plug in to it. Big, bursty, musically-convincing, toneful sound will result.

Phil
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