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DAC shopping - Trying to sift through the Hype. Can I trust the reviews these days ??

Hi All,

Well I've been reading a ton of threads about DACs. This is a very complicated endeavor, trying to find a new DAC. My 1st question is: Can I trust all the Youtube reviews these days ?

Seems like everyone is promoting the same DACs. I'm looking into a R2R Dac. Tons of hype for Holo May,Cyan,Laiv Harmony,Denafrips. Are these truly great Dacs or are they just the flavour of the month ?. There is almost zero negativity towards these Dacs. It's kind of like when the Eversolo streamers came out. Seemed like every reviewer was pushing the Eversolo. So searching for a new DAC online almost seems like sponsored ADs everywhere, am I wrong in feeling this way ?

That all being said here is my criteria for a new DAC (Probably searching the used market to get best value)

I believe I want to go with a R2R Dac, but it's not a dealbreaker.

My budget: $1000-$3000

My system: Bryston 3B Cubed, VTL(tube pre),Bel Canto 3.7 Dac(with upgrades), Antipodes Ds-3(player/server).

I really enjoy my Bel Canto 3.7, but it doesn't have USB input and I'm curious how much better a DAC sounds in 2024, compared to an older Bel Canto,. My BC has an upgraded linear supply. Once again this DAC sounds beautiful, but when its not compared to anything......Maybe I'm depriving myself of a better DAC. This is the only DAC I've had with existing equipment.

I know plenty of you will say go audition as many DACs as you can, but that is difficult unless it's hooked up to my gear. Won't help going to a store with a DAC being hooked up to different gear.Plus I want to buy used. I can buy higher end with a bit of a discount.

 

From my research these are the DACs I'm thinking of pursuing:

Laiv Harmony

Denafrips Pontas ii

Holo Cyan

 

You can tell from my choices that I've been buying into the hype.

Please add to my list of DACs and please dispel any extra hype over the most talked about models.

Cheers.

128x128bunkertoy
calvinandhobbes
307 posts
 

I'm all about analog. low fatigue sounds. full sound with timbre, holographic,tubey,warm.

@bunkertoy The Pontus II is great at conveying timbre and sounding warm. Is it better than your Bel Canto? The only way to tell is to have it in your system and try it out. Perhaps get a used Pontus II so you can resell it if it's not an improvement. One suggestion for the Pontus II is that it sounded best to me with a Supra LoRad power cable at about US $91. I've tried 11 power cables on the Pontus ranging from $15 to $1400 and the LoRad is the one that sounded best to my ears.

 

 

vthokie83
884 posts
 

The Denafrips Pontus II DAC is not hype nor a promotion. It is most likely one of the best selling DACs for at least 3 years, with hundreds and hundreds of positive reviews. I've had mine for 3 years, and it has held it's own as I've upgraded the rest of my system a couple of times (new amps, preamps, speakers, cables, power input, CD tranpsorts, etc.

The Pontus II is one of those special products that hit a grand slam upon release and remains one of the most musical, enjoyable, listenable, and fun DACs I've heard....at an amazing price of $2,000 for the 15th for the current release.....I think I paid $1,450 for mine when I bought it.

It is not the most detailed, the quickest, and is of course not perfect. I will replace mine next year, and move the Pontus II to a second system.....as my system now is good enough for a better DAC. Yes I2S does make a difference, it's the best way to drive the Pontus II (and I'd suspect any DAC that supports it)

calvinandhobbes
307 posts
 

An anecdote about how much I like the sound of the Pontus II. I decided to listen to much more expensive DACs over the past two years, because I was curious to figure out what spending a LOT more money in a DAC could get me.

Note as context for my impressions: I listen to a lot of acoustic and vocal music (jazz, classical) so an organic tonal quality is important to me. Detail and resolution is important as well, but secondary to tonal quality and a sound that conveys air and space well.

I listened to the dCS Bartok APEX, dCS Puccini Apex, and the Linn Organik DAC in their Klimax DSM. Of these three network music players that I heard, the only one that I would want to replace the Pontus II regardless of price was the Linn.

  1. dCS Bartok APEX, $14.5k: Not only did this not clearly sound better than the Pontus, my impression is that I liked the Pontus for the music I prefer.
  2. dCS Puccini APEX, $32k: Really good from an "objective" standpoint on your typical audiophile measures, but didn’t seem to engage me. The tonal quality of the sound also seemed a bit synthetic.
  3. Linn Organik DAC in the Linn Klimax DSM: $40k (but Organik DAC is also available in the Selekt DSM unit starting around $20k): Definitely better in all ways than my Pro-ject streamer/ Pontus II DAC, but the improvement in resolution (and tonal quality to a lesser degree) is only a marginal gain.
marquis4099
3 posts
 

I am also searching for a DAC/Streamer. I have been looking at the HiFi Rose the model 150 and the model 250A. My equipment is a McIntosh MA 462 power amplifier and a C55 Preamplifier. My C55 has a built in DAC. How good is the DAC in my Preamplifier compared to the HIfi Rose or other DACs? I am open to recommendations, viewpoints, and critical evaluations.

mm1tt77
166 posts
 

@marquis4099 what streamer / server do you have paired with the McIntosh DAC in your pre?  I haven’t heard the DAC in your Pre but have read posts by others who own Mac gear and have very positive thing to say about the DAC.  I’d get the HiFi Rose 130b which is a streamer only but an outstanding streamer.  Buy it from a dealer with a return / trail period.  If you feel like you want to upgrade the DAC and streamer you can exchange for one of HiFi Roses DAC / Streaming combos.  If you get the 130 you’ll be set up to upgrade your DAC down the road.  Have fun, good luck.

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