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

First off Roon is not as good sonically as the Lumin or Aurender apps. If you don't mind ditching Roon get the new Lumin U2 with fiber optic input to start (I have the P1 with the same set of LAN and fiber optic inputs), however if you are married to Roon get an Innuos Zenith Mk.3 server, then ditch your MAC as it will be a bottleneck in your system when you upgrade your DAC. As for DAC recommendations my pick for under $10K is my current DAC the Lampizator Baltic V4. Plus $10K the Mola Mola is the best I have heard, but I have never owned one so hesitate to recommend it wholeheartedly. Another thing to keep in mind is you will want to upgrade your switch as well (get one with fiber optic and OXCO clock). Everything in a digital source chain counts IME, don't trust me however, do the research on the forums and see for yourself the growing consensus. If I could afford it I'd get a dCS or MSB or Esoteric stack, that way you don't have to take a risky mix and match approach - but that is $30K minimum entry territory.

Lampizator Baltic 4 $6850

One idea is to get a Gustard R26, which I have, or the A26, and add a master clock to it. Then add the new Etherregen v2, a SOTM sms 200 ultra neo special edition, a sotm tx-usb, connect them all to the same master clock, including the Etherregen, and I’m betting it will rival most 10k setups for $4500.

I have the Tambaqui and am amazed every time I listen to the size of the soundstage and the absolute blackness of the areas around the instruments. 

kairosman

198 posts

06-16-2023 at 04:45am 

First off Roon is not as good sonically as the Lumin or Aurender apps. If you don't mind ditching Roon get the new Lumin U2 with fiber optic input to start (I have the P1 with the same set of LAN and fiber optic inputs), however if you are married to Roon get an Innuos Zenith Mk.3 server, then ditch your MAC as it will be a bottleneck in your system when you upgrade your DAC.
 

I disagree. The DAC you’re using and it’s implementation of a network renderer vs what kind of streamer? Now add USB cable or whatever type of connection you will be using…that cable matters too. 

My Roon ready Bricasti M3 with network renderer wired to an access point with a good ethernet cable beat the lumin U1 Mini streamer.
Mola Mola also has a built in renderer, is Roon ready and does not require a streamer. 

Mac Mini sucks as a streamer but as a Roon core only it won’t be a bottleneck.