DAC for Aurender N200

Absolutely love my Mojo Mystique EVO DAC with USB from a Bricasti M5.

Interesting thread to check out…https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/six-dac-comparison

@hickamore 

You got some good recommendations. Choosing a DAC to pair with the Aurender N200 depends on your sound preferences, system synergy and budget. The N200 is a high-quality streamer with excellent timing and transparency, so you’ll want a DAC that complements its strengths without introducing unwanted coloration.

I can make some recommendations based on my experience with different DAC’s and Aurender models I’ve owned over the years, 

Holo May KTE - It’s a R2R DAC with exceptional resolution and tonal balance. Its natural sound pairs well with the N200’s precision. You’re likely to hear deep soundstage, natural tonality, and excellent detail retrieval. 

LampizatOr Baltic 4 or Amber 4 - For their warmth and richness. I would only recommend a LampizatOr DAC if your rest of the system is Solid State and you feel it lacks warmth and musicality. 

dCS Bartók or Rossini  - Highly detailed, expansive and transparent. Personally, I wasn’t impressed due to its slightly dry texture and analytical sound. I have only heard non-Apex version. Not sure, if Apex version sounds more engaging?  

Master Fidelity NADAC D (formerly Merging Technologies NADAC) - I would choose this DAC for extreme transparency, wide soundstage and reference level detail. It strikes a perfect balance between smoothness and accuracy with a firm grip on musicality. 

Bricasti M1 SE or M3 - You get a refined, dynamic and detailed sound with its distinctive natural tonality.

If you’re aspiring to build an all ARC system, then DAC’9 with latest USB board would do just fine. I used to own DAC 9 and it’s a fine sounding DAC within ARC ecosystem. 

Whichever DAC you choose to go with, its Synergy with rest of your system is far more critical than any XYZ brand. 

Do you lean toward a specific type of sound, e.g., warm and lush, neutral and precise. Knowing that could help narrow down the choices further and not feel overwhelmed by plethora of available choices in DAC’s. 

@fthompson251 ya, more than $2k difference between the Terminator and DAC 200.  It’s certainly the better value and imo sounds better too.

Have an N20 XLR AES connected to an MSB Discrete DAC with the N20 Clock synced with the Femto clock in the MSB. I use the Word Sync connection on the N20 to connect to the Word clock in the MSB. This sounds superior to just using the N20 Clock. This connection  was recommended to me by MSB

Everyone likes something different, of course, and most people recommend what they have. I have the DCS Bartok And it is not at all analytical to my hearing. But I will say the upgrade to the Apex version is a substantial improvement in sound quality. If you got interested in it, I would strongly consider the Apex version, to my ears, the upgrade is very much worth the money.

@marco1 I too have found that my Terminator 15th (Which is a Terminator +) sounds really good with the N200. I almost bought a T+A Dac 200 but changed my mind.

The Audio Analogue AA DAC for 5000, it has a great volume control, you can eliminate the preamp…a real steal..

I actually liked the Bartok.  I didn’t find it analytical at all.  I just like the Terminator a bit more.

@hickamore a word of caution/warning with ARC DACs - only the latest iterations include the USB card that is compatible with Linux based streamers. You would have to check with ARC if the unit includes the latest USB card or was upgraded. Otherwise your N200 is not going to be compatible with DAC9 if you’re planning to use USB.

Few more DACs to add to the list…

Chord DAVE: Awesome DAC but a bit long in a tooth so expect a replacement soon however the prices on a used market are great.
dCS Bartok: older non-Apex version is within your price range. dCS are considered to be top notch DACs. The brand’s been around forever and as with other big names (think Wilson Audio, B&W, McIntosh, etc.) has its fan base as well as plenty of haters. I would not hesitate to try a dCS DAC if one’s available on a used market at a price that would allow for a flip at minimal loss in case you don’t like it. And this is true for other DACs as well. Everything in this hobby is subjective. Some will say dCS sounds analytical, others will state it’s superb and is natural and musical sounding - too many variables to consider and is best to try.

I find that on the N200 the usb is by far the better of the two connections. I run mine with a Denafrips Terminator Plus, which I also find to be a very good combination. I’ve also tried the Bartok and TA DAC’s but find the Terminator more to my liking.  I understand with Vineshine out of the picture Denafrips will still use their Texas service center so if there were to be a problem, service would not be too inconvenient for US residents. If you do decide on Denafrips I would confirm that though.

@lalitk Given the state of my hearing, I'm unlikely ever to move up to N20. So as you say, the goal is to connect N200 via USB to a better DAC. Wondering which if any of those recommended above you would pair with the N200?

+1 @jwpstayman 

The Aurender and T+A DAC 200 might make a great combo, since the Aurender can do both - PCM and DSD on USB. This is one flexible DAC with tons of option.

So many good options in your budget. Check out Meitner, Bricasti, Lampizator, Rockna, Denafrips. Laiv, etc. 

With N200, USB is the best way to take advantage of its stellar capabilities. The SPDIF connection while it’s decent, provided for convenience and to facilitate connectivity with legacy DAC’s.

In absolute terms, OCXOs are much more accurate and stable than the temperature-varying crystal oscillators (TCXO’s).

I am using a Lab 12 DAC 1 Reference with my N200.   I like this DAC a lot , I bought the N200 by leveraging a preamp I wasn't using that had some value toward the N200.   For .$800 plus that trade I stepped I to an Aurender.  For me it was a no brainer. 

Another factor was I wanted a streamer good enough that it would not be outclassed if I updated my DAC.   

The N200 has had some recent FW updates and some Conductor updates in the last month.   Aurender support is excellent 

@willywonka  Yeah I was aware the clock in the streamer is basically a non issue for USB, but the info on the TXCO clock was interesting.   That said, my Iris has a TXCO clock and I still notice a significant improvement although I’m using the i2S connection so not sure how much each is contributing. 

The N200 has only USB and coax outputs. But I would like to use USB with a superior DAC and it sounds like used ARC DAC 9 would fit that bill. I have always aspired to  hear what an ARC piece would do in my (slowly evolving) system. Will be on lookout for a used DAC 9. Failing that, I gather T+A DAC 200, Denafrips Terminator (product support after Vinshine?), Bricasti, PS Audio might all provide a distinct improvement. Thanks to all for insights. Any other info welcome pending good luck on the used market.

@soix Clocks are not as important for USB compared to the other connections. Also, the N200 only uses a TCXO clock and not an OCXO clock like the N20. Big difference!

FWIW I am running my N200 with USB to a Denafrips Hermes/Terminator 15th combo and it is a really good combo. I like R2R dacs. I also like the option to use the I2s connection as wells as the clock sync function. The Terminator is a huge DAC and very well made.

Thanks @audphile1 I stand corrected. 

@soix actually AES/EBU is best with N20. N200 only has coax and USB and the latter definitely sounds better.
I ran the N200 with PS Audio DSD MkI, Chord Hugo TT2 and Bricasti M3.
Love the Bricasti DAC.
You can pair the N200 with a lot of good DACs out there.
Used Bricasti M1S2 or even M21 if you’re lucky on a used market.
For PS Audio DSD MkII I would keep an eye on TMR website as they get used PS components frequently. I like PS Audio but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
@fthompson251 just paired his N200 with the latest Denaftips Terminator and he’s impressed. May be he’ll chime in.

My understanding is if you use USB then you don’t get the benefits of the excellent clock in the N200, which would seem like a waste.  I believe @audphile1 has mentioned the best connection to use is AES/EBU with the N200, but not sure on that but it makes some sense.  For the DAC, it totally depends on what improvements and sound characteristics you’re looking for — let that be your guide and if you share that info you’ll get some great recommendations here. 

Take a Look at the T+A DAC 200 - works well with Aurender, is very musical, has a separate DAC circuit for DSD and is also built like a tank and made to last.  Fits into your budget as well.

There are a number of good DACs in your price range. Many people like the PSAudio. I would definitely recommend a used Audio Research Reference 9... it is more refined and detailed while remaining extremely musical. The ARC REF9 is an outstanding DAC an will get the best out of the N20 and N30 Aurrender streamers.

I am a big Aurrender fan. The entry level Aurrender streamers use USB only... I have a N100 on my headphone system. All the Aurrender streamer above entry level have coax and AES. On my main system I have a W20SE and use AES. I remember trying the coax and not finding any obvious differences in sound quality.

USB streamer output puts a larger amount of processing on the DAC. A simplified look at USB is that the bitstream is retimed by the DAC... with the other connections it is not.