New DAC! Meitner MA3, Denafrips Terminator Plus, Holo May KTE, Mola Mola Tambaqui

Not sure I could get use to the look of the Chord Dave....

I'm very open to just using the mac mini to run core and getting a dedicated streamer.

Leaning toward the MSB Discrete DAC.  I like the upgradability and the modular digital inputs.  Build quality looks pretty high so I assume it's reliable and they would service it.  

I like the modular inputs on the MSB Discrete DAC.  

Don't see any dealers close to Denver to demo MSB....

https://msbtechnology.com/dealers/

Thank you ghdprentice.  ARC as in audio research?  I see a lot of references to Chord DAVE as well.  

SACD is a low priority.  Just seemed like more companies are starting to support i2s so I assumed if you get a DAC with this it's a little more future proofing. 

So for a dedicated streamer/player.  Probably don't have the funds for a Taiko yet but what would be on par with the MSB Discrete DAC?

@ricred1 I actually think it looks pretty cool and stands out especially with that curved eye for a display.  I grew up watching flight of the navigator and I'm pretty sure it was in that movie!  But I want my turntable to stand out and my DAC to be more of just a box!

@ghdprentice 

just need a DAC with two outputs so I can run a tube buffer on those harsher tracks!

https://www.decware.com/newsite/zbox.htm

I think with the MSB Discrete DAC if you purchase the Network Renderer module the DAC becomes a Roon endpoint.  Does anyone have experience using any MSB DAC as a Roon endpoint versus using a player and outputting digital to the MSB.

Yes tube buffer idea only as secondary output feeds, more of a joke or future science project!  Future design XLR from DAC into Dan D'Agostino Momentum HD preamplifier to my amp.  

Can't tell if the MSB Discrete does DSD without the DOP? not sure of it's master clock speed.  

Also is it odd that MSB doesn't have an i2s HDMI input card?

@docroasty 

Actually I'm not sure if i2s is a deal breaker or not.  I'm looking at the MSB Discrete which I don't think has the option for i2s but then again it has modular input cards. 

If I could afford it I would get the Emm Labs DA2 V2.  But my budget is about half that right now.  I'm just not sure if the MA3 will beat out an MSB Discrete, plus I can upgrade it so I think it would last longer?

Auralic Aries G2.1?

Is the HiFi Rose RS150B more about a touch screen and software than sound quality?  How does it stack up against other $5k-$6k streamers? Aurender N200?

It’s all relative!