2. amps-preamps
  3. 161822-153106

Penafrips, MHDT Labs DACs versus Integrated amps for home office

Carrying this over from another discussion.  Apologies for being verbose, but...  I am on the hunt for DAC and amp combo with awesome sound quality and would appreciate any thoughts. I have a 10x10 ft home office, which I spend many work and after hours in. So, I have been trying to upgrade my sound, but am not able to invest gazilllions. I stream Tidal MQA and HiFi via USB from my MacbookPro using Tidal's app.  I listen via speaker, no headphone, no vinyl.  

I want wide & deep soundstage, clarity, and great sound at lower volumes. "3D soundstage", "holographic", etc.

Here's what I have so far. (amps will be in a bake off)
  • Canton Vento 830.2 speakers (very "revealing")
  • Peachtree Nova 300 integrated (with internal DAC)
  • Cambridge Audio Azur 851A integrated amp (but no internal DAC)
  • NuPrime IDA-8 with internal DAC

I love the Peachtree so far, but want to give the Cambridge a fair shot, which requires that I buy a DAC (less than a $1000-$1200 if possible). The loser of this bakeoff will be for sale as soon as I decide...

So, For DACs, after countless rabbit hole hours researching, I think that I have narrowed it down to the Penafrips Ares 2 (cannot afford the Pontus) and MHDT Istanbul (cannot afford the Orchid or Pagoda). Cannot afford the Chord QUTest either.   But open to suggestions!

I had also considered the RME ADI-2 DAC but I am afraid that it would be too sterile/harsh/fatiguing with my Canton speakers... (the NuPrime IDA-8 is awesome, but it was fatiguing and wimpy bass with my speakers unless turned up pretty loud). So, it is not a match, and I fear that the RME might be similar.  But who knows...

Hence my interest in the power supply of the Cambridge (class XD) to compare against the Peachtree's, as well as the Penafrips and MHDT hooked up to the Cambridge to compare with the Peachtree (class D) and its internal DAC.  Of course, I'd try one of the externals with the Peachtree just to compare... 

In summary, I want wide & deep soundstage, clarity, and great sound at lower volumes but will kick it up on occasion. "3D soundstage", "holographic", etc.  

Any comments and advice on this would be immensely helpful!  I am research fatigued...

Cheers!

bogbeat

Showing 3 responses by mesch

mesch
3,411 posts
 
To me the questions would be:

1st question:  How does the Peachtree compare to the NuPrime using the internal DAC? One must be better suited to ones tastes, system, and environment.

Then the next question question would be: How much improvement can one get from a less than $1200 DAC? 

Then which of the three amplifiers suit best using an external DAC?

That said, MQA is not on my radar and I don't know what makes a DAC MQA qualified. Let alone which DACs under issue are qualified. 


mesch
3,411 posts
 
Jolida makes a DAC with tube output stage that is highly thought of. I believe it is within your budget. 

I might add that, once I had a system I enjoyed, I began the upgrade path with the digital source which made for significant improvement. Then I went for speakers. Now rethinking amplification. 

More than one way to get there. Enjoy the journey.
mesch
3,411 posts
 
Hopefully you will get the sub soon. Play with it and speaker placement prior to other decisions. 
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