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Rank the top reference DACs you've heard

Usually the battle goes between DCS Vivaldi set and MSB Select II.

However, since Swiss/Japanese (boutique level) DACs are usually out of reach, we rarely read about ultra high end DACs and where they fit with the rest of the league ($5000-$100,000) price range. 

There are other topologies and SOTA designs floating around, what comes to mind:
- new DCS (above Vivaldi) flagship to be announced
- Wadax Atlantis Reference
- Esoteric Grandioso D1X (Dual Mono)
- TotalDAC Twelve Mk2
- Lampizator Golden Gate 2
- Chord Dave+mscaler
- CH Precision C1+X1 (Dual Mono) 
- Soulution 760
- Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref
- Aqua La Scala mkII Optologic
- EMM Labs DV2/DA2

I mentioned flagship DACs only since the list will be bigger and we will lose focus of the subject. It is interesting to know some of us "lurkers" or who has reached audio nirvana with his choice of DAC and what did he it compare with. The more input we get, the clearer the big picture will be. 

Let's go!
128x128emerald

Showing 2 responses by ghasley

ghasley
2,434 posts
 
@mahughes 


You are correct that one man’s meat is another…..

I have heard the Terminator Plus and found it….mechanical. LOL. I guess that just goes to show us that it is pretty subjective, especially on internet forums. I thought the regular Terminator a better dac than the plus. I have owned neither.

I certainly haven’t heard all of the dacs on the list, few have. With that said, of the ones I have heard or owned I find it odd that you believe the EMMLabs or the AQUA “mechanical”. I do not presently own either but both are exceptional and hardly mechanical the extended periods I have listened in diverse systems. Please describe the setup you heard them in. Maybe there was a mismatch somewhere in the chain. Peace.
ghasley
2,434 posts
 
@thyname



At least in my book (which is the only book that matters to me) Amir is hardly the go to guy that I would consult for advice. His and his cult like followers and their little fussy war regarding Totaldac turned me off for good. Ive heard and owned a Totaldac and it is an exceptional piece of gear.
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