Help me buy my next DAC

Had the first gen. V-DAC, Are you running with an synch. USB converter? Made a big difference for me. (or does the 2nd gen V-DAC come with built in asynch. USB?). At any rate, I went to a Schiit Gungnir. If you are still looking for a DAC, at least consider Schiit (Bifrost or Gungnir). 30 day trial possible from Audio Advisor. Good luck.

Look into the Resonessence Labs Concero HD. I just bought the Concero HP (headphone version) and it beat my April Music Eximus DP-1 and Mytek Digital Stereo192 dac hands down. Under $1000 and uses the 32bit ESS9018-2M Sabre DAC.

Hi,
I am also searching for a new DAC and have done some recent auditions which may hopefully help. On my home system I previously owned a VDAC2 which sounded okay but I never emotionally connected to it - never gave me goose bumps. I sold it and just used my Dragonfly as a fill in until I find the right DAC. In my home system I then auditioned the Moon 100 Dac vs the Parasound ZDAC. While both were a nice improvement over the VDAC2, to me the Parasound ZDAC was the clear winner (once both were fully broken in over the course of a month running 24/7). The ZDAC was more harmonically rich and the instruments had more substance (another reviewer called it better image density which I agree with). I however returned both because of employment uncertainty, plus, as much as I enjoyed the ZDAC, I suspected that I could get more detail if I raised my price point. I am now back in the hunt, and while on a business trip I auditioned the new Rotel against the Musical Fidelity M1. This was not on my system so it would be difficult for me to compare these two to the ZDAC or the Moon 100, but in the system I heard, the Rotel was a clear winner for my tastes. The Rotel was more open, amazing detail, instruments and voices were very real / palpable and image specificity / location was tightly focused like nothing I have heard before - almost laser like. The M1 in comparison was a slight bit warmer sounding but in comparison to the Rotel was dark, dynamically compressed, closed in and just less alive. I still have not made a decision but this experience has reminded me how important an audition is. Many reviews are saying DACs are starting to sound very much alike - I did not find this at all - to my ears the differences were very real and very dramatic - some I could be happy with and some I would not at all be happy with. Hope that helps!

The DB Labs Tranquility dac can be had used in your price range. Great sounding dac as long as You don't mind just USB

I had same DAC and upgraded to a Wyred 4 Sound 2. Fantastic sounding DAC!

Thanks for all the above replies.

Needfreestuff- The Meitner is way out of my price range...but thanks for the offer.

Just to clarify...Most of the DAC's I listed were above the 1K price point and now being heavily discounted in the 5-600 range. The files I need converting are the typical cd's I burned to my hard drive or mp3's. I also enjoy listening to Pandora and Sirious/XM. I don't neccesarily need it to be a pre amp...but if it does it would be a bonus. I'm really just looking to get the best bang for your buck DAC in the above stated price range (500-600)

Thanks again for any and all suggestions.

Parsound Zdac has the newest and latest technology for less than 500 to replace my MF vdac2 also. It's like day and NIGHT. WOW.

What type of files on the hard drive? What do you play them through? For internet radio the V-DAc serves just fine.

Hi Krelldog
I have the Sim Audio Moon 100D. I probably won't be much help. I think it is a fantastic dac. I have compared it to the Sim Audio Moon 300D V2 with about 200 hours on it, which is a really great dac. Also with a NAD M51 with about 150 hrs on it. In my system the 100D is a little different but 95% of the 300D V2 and the M51 for musicality. I use a CD transport, and so no computer or internet radio. I do think the 100D would not shine quite as well in a thin or bright sounding system as it would in a neutral to slightly warm system. But that is not a big if just a small one. Please don't put to much emphasis on my post. I do think I have a extremely good, musical, natural sounding system and the 100D dac contributes to that.

Listen to the Aurilac Vega, perhaps used $26ish

The rotel RDD-1580 DAC just got a pretty over the top rave review by TAS.
Sells for just $800 brand new and looks like a million bucks. In the under $1k range I'd be looking at that.

If you step up to $3k-ish I'd be looking at the new femto wyred4sound DAC2se or the auralic vega.

Just upgraded my turntable and am thinking of getting out of digital have a Meitner MA 1 in excellent condition that I could let go at an attractive price to include a Wireworld Platinum USB. Read the reviews it is an excellent performer. Best of Luck