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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
hifixman
5 posts
 

Detail can contain so many aspects and dimensions, at least binary micro details as image and  Macro details as sound stage.

Some dacs have good or even amazing image as T Plus but has either no width (Schitt Y OG) and normally no depth/ height (Rockna, Matrix X, Sonnet) Metrum). Some dacs manifested amazing stage  but suck at image and resolution ( May KTE, Burson)

 

If detail here equals to macro plus micro, in my system to my ears

1, Mojo Mystique

2, Playback design

 

Add-ons 

1, I could rate Rockna as best image and width but then it is lacking depth and height.

2, I have heard the whole line up of dcs in my system except the new Lina but haven't tried MSB in my setup yet and I don't count show demoing. 

 

sns
3,203 posts
 

@hifixman I reached a point some years ago when I no longer heard added resolution as hearing new details such as something low level in mix being suddenly heard. Since then, I've heard it mostly as sound stage and imaging differences, in the sense of greater expansion and dimensionality. I know Ed Meitner equates lower jitter very much with sound stage expansion, not just with digititus. Based on much research, the Playback Design and Mojo consistently rise to top of my list for possible dac auditions.

 

While I've heard nice dacs over the years, if not auditioned in my present system hard for me to make informed decision. I seek changing out only one variable at a time for this.

ronres
48 posts
 

A direct comparative survey of eight of today’s top DACs was recently posted on WhatsBestForum.

shkong78's avatar
shkong78
1,485 posts
 

Wadax Reference 105

MSB Select II 100

Ideon Absolute 98

Lampi Horizon 97

Lampi Pacific 90

Ideon Ion 89

Wells Audio Cipher Dac II 88

Dave and Mscaler (fed by linear supply) 87

 

Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mark88's avatar
mark88
1 posts
 

I have the Dave and M scaler. Its been a small journey with this dac. I had a AudioQuest usb cable feeding it to start. Then I got the wireworld platinum usb cable. That made a amazing positive difference. At this point I did not like the m scaler and just used the Dave. I had a very good set of bnc cables but the m scaler just didn't sound as good to me as just the Dave. Then I got the Wave storm reference cables for the m scaler. All I can say is if you have a dave and m scaler you should try the Wave storm bnc cables. To my ears in my system it is a amazing combination. 

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