Dacs For My Devore Nines and Leben

Hi, what DAC did you finally buy for Nines?

Meitner MA-1 might be one to put on your list as well.

That would be me on the Shindo/Nines combo with the Metrum...still a fan. I'm interested in the newly announce Metrum Hex as a replacement but may still keep the Octave since I love the sound so much.

I would also be interested in any responses you receive. I currently have DeVore Nines and a vintage receiver that I will be upgrading to a Leben CS600.

My current DAC is an Audio-GD Reference One. These DACs were introduced to me by the good folks over at head-fi, and the DAC certainly has not disappointed me. Extremely detailed and dynamic. Very neutral which is excellent for good recordings but exposes bad ones. I've done some comparisons with the Sony PS1 with RCA outputs and it definitely lacks the detail retrieval and neutrality of Ref One. The PS1 by comparison seems to roll off on the extremes, but somehow it sounds more analog and warm which I find myself liking. I guess it depends what virtues your prefer in your DAC.

I'm hoping the combo of the Ref One and Leben CS600 with it's slight warmth of tubes will make up for the neutral nature of the Ref One. I'll report back. In the mean time, you can't go wrong with a nice Sony PS1 for only 50 or so bucks nowadays. Not really a computer DAC per se still one of the better values in the otherwise over priced world of hifi. Audio GD sells an more up to date version of my current DAC called the Reference 7.1 which many members on head-fi believe is a steal at around 1700 USD brand new.

One other DAC that I'd like to demo with the Nines/CS600 would be the MHDT Havana/Stockholm. The Havana is renowned for being a musical and warm DAC which I think are characteristics that would play well with this speaker/amp combo. Probably not as much detail retrieval as I would be use to with the Ref One, but I would be willing to give that up for some tube warmth in the DAC.

Good luck with your search, I apologies I don't have any insight to offer on your list of DACs. For what it's worth, I've read other members on the forum enjoy the Metrum Octave DAC with Shindo/Nines combo.