Looking for recommendations for a 'warm' sounding DAC


Would anyone know of a warm sounding DAC, budget to £2500/$3000 new or used. My ears don’t like a crisp and clinical sound, I find that Chord/dcs/Topping sound painful if loud. I know many love those crisp leading edges that these deliver but that sound does not synergise with my amp/speakers nor my sensitive ears. I know the easiest way to achieve this would be to switch speakers to a mellow speaker but this option is not available.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
128x128duckworp

Showing 4 responses by duckworp


What DAC are you using now?
So this is my second system - a Naim 180/82 into B&W 804s, which is used only for background social listening. At the moment I use it to play Qobuz via Roon through Chromecast Audio. I would like a better DAC than the Chromecast audio, but the Chord one I tried provided a very detailed presentation which somewhat grated my ears. I suffer from hyperacusis - in my case a low threshold to loud harsh sounds - think kids screaming or dishes clanking, and the Chord and cheap-as-chips Topping seemed to accentuate those attributes of the sound. My main system is fine but that is a very much smoother Vitus/Boenicke set up which is rich and warm and doesn’t aggravate my ears.
I must ask, why are you using B&W’s
These are my old main system speakers which have moved to the secondary system.  My wife loves the compact and beautiful look of them. Sonically they are light on bass which is perfect as they are squashed in next to a cabinet and most other speakers would tend to boom.  I do agree that they can sparkle a little too much though. 
Thank you all very much for some excellent suggestions. I will be checking many of these out.