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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
twinski66's avatar
twinski66
14 posts
 
I’m dusting off this old thread just in case someone out there is on the hunt for tube warmth in their system.  I stumbled upon the Line Magnetic LM32 DAC.  It adds just the right amount of tube warmth (to my liking) even with the stock tubes which I rolled to a matched pair of Mullard’s NOS.
wharfy's avatar
wharfy
334 posts
 
A Kitsune Holo KTE DAC, Level 2 or 3 would do just fine.
As people upgrade to the Holo Mays, they are available in your price range.
gregoriomtb16's avatar
gregoriomtb16
12 posts
 

duckworp , which dac did you finally get?

phantom_av's avatar
phantom_av
326 posts
 

One of the best in my opinion regards of being SS or Tube DAC is the Playback Design Dream Series MPD8. Its Super Smooth, Transparent, Fatigue Free Digital System. It lets you forget about warm, lush blah blah and diverts your attention to the music. No Clinical cold sound here either its just lets you hear for hours ends with no fatigue exactly the same feeling i get when listening to vinyl.

 

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