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Mola Mola Tambaqui or Denafrips Terminator Plus?

I need to pull the trigger, but there’s no opportunity to audition them. So far my thinking is:

Terminator Plus $6,700
+ Good reviews, lots of them
+ DAC only, no budget wasted on volume control, remote, etc.
+ Buy direct from distributor, no dealer mark-up
+ Tambaqui is 40% more expensive
- Less well-know Chinese manufacturer

Tambaqui $9,500
+ Good reviews, but fewer than Terminator Plus
+ Relatively cheap in my market
+ Very reputable manufacturer
- Sold through dealer network, increased mark-up
- Comes with volume control, pre amp, ethernet, bluetooth and remote which I don’t use

I’ve considered the dCS Bartok, but the Tambaqui seems to beat it while being 30% cheaper.

I listen to Tidal through a Roon Nucleus. Two channel, no headphones.
Amp: Dan D’Agostino Momentum Integrated. Speakers: Focal Stella Utopia Evo.

Anyone heard both? Any help with this decision is much appreciated.

P.S. In the next few years I’ll try to audition a more "end game" DAC to match the rest of the system. For now it’s Tambaqui or Terminator Plus.
robert1976

Showing 3 responses by joyck88

joyck88
3 posts
 
actually.. t plus feed the GAIA so much more fluid sounding. GAIA will likely improve any dac but with T plus synced clock, it was better to my ear. From what I under, one clock is to reduce jitter other one is to sync music. I am not techy but from listening.. much more fluid and organic sounding.


I was using another one .. AudioGD di20 but GAIA  made a noticeable difference.  Not recording can carry out the sound or not.   

this is sample without GAIA but with di20.   Running homemade PC with youtube or roon for my listening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z2WndPQhfE
joyck88
3 posts
 
I had.. audio byte vox, schiit yaggy, audiogd r8he, terminator, doge 7, with cascade mutec mc3 with se120 clock.     Among all, T plus stood out  in performance, significant jump from all the good dacs that I have previously owned.    With T plus with Gaia..is another level. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS69JSfI-m8  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUxI1j3zQPY
I do have some samples but from my systems.

For the source.. I don't think you can go wrong with T plus.  
joyck88
3 posts
 
for me.. T plus cold start still way better than anything I heard or had that is including the terminator.   Does improve over 10 days period. Imaging and details that contribute to emotional factors are very best.   After hearing Tplus.... audiobyte which I felt it was better over terminator ..hit the road with burning rubber.  I would say Gaia will add good things to any DAC out there.  

Making digital music to get to the level of coherent Cd or analog or better .. not many choices out there.
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