What does your DAC sound like

My DAC has no sound fortunately and I'm happy with that. I leave the tonality altering to my DSP/room treatment.

So basically neutral. Just lets the music shine without adding to it

Kofi 

what brand model dac do you have 

The DAC in my WT-95 (modded Oppo-95 by me) sounds the most analog like. 

https://youtu.be/JLjbLgXM_lw?si=HNUcRuuduUzj8AxO&t=37

https://youtu.be/ADJab9HrXpU?si=z1fjLvf1Zhz3EBuU

Grimm MU2: https://youtu.be/NIztJLozENE?si=RDvf-88HfrIbidLo

Merlot: https://youtu.be/P5h1VZ-atu8?si=Y9nNYpjhCzAfxn9Q&t=74

Vermeer: https://youtu.be/8SyfQnE1ghc?si=vPNYNpBs3Dxxpn7h&t=26

Alex/Wavetouch audio

@dvdgreco  what is your budget?

My Stello DA220 MkII, which is a great sounding DAC, has just been replaced with a Denafrips Pontus 15th, and the difference is staggering. The Pontus is the smoothest, most analogue sounding DAC that I've heard (I haven't heard your 3 examples), and I've even discribed it as almost valve (tube) like in the sound. I hate the PRAT/Musicality words discribing sound, but that's exactly how I would discribe it. Yet it's extremely detailed, with no digital harshness whatsoever. Micro detail everywhere in abundence. The detail, is even present in the superb bass area which goes deep with great texture. From top to bottom it's a revalation - once it's fully run in, which took about 3 weeks.

I sell Denafrips all their dacs are R2R  and a good Sonic value 

in my other audio system I have a excellent Swiss brand Merason 

Thst has excellent Analog sound from $9k,6k, and around $2k 

peach one is class leading ,it willl not do DSD to me kwho cares  99+% are non DSD anyway.  Their dacs make you think of music !!

I have been very pleased with my Merason Reuss, it has a very natural and musical sound and does not overdo anything. 

@dvdgreco This - https://www.rme-usa.com/adi-2-4-pro-se.html

If you're looking for an analogue sounding DAC, focus on R2R rather than the Delta Sigma offerings.  There are scores of good to sublime sounding R2R DACs at all price points.  Good luck.  

Check out the MHDT DACS. R2R with a tube output, very analog and musical

I had an MHDT Orchid but the tube took away from the clarity and information though it sounded musical. I am now convinced that DACs with tubes are problematic, often.

Next was Bifrost II/64 from Schiit but was a bit harsh.

I settled on R2R from Holo Audio, the Spring 3 KTE version. Balanced tonality, very musical with all kinds of recordings, and very wide and deep soundstage.

Since you haven't given a budget or a system description it's hard to make a specific recommendation but here is my experience with other specific DACs over the last few years.  In the order of my experience and expected cost.

1) Lowest cost (no longer in production but findable in the used market) - Oppo 105D, chip based, plays SACD and CD, sounds really good, not the Nth degree of detail or refinement but very pleasing for what it is (a DVD player).  If you are managing a budget and still want great sound, highly recommended if you can find one.

2) Out of production but pretty easy to find - PSAudio DirectStream DAC MK1. FPGA based and excellent sounding, adds detail while retaining body and great tonality.  Doesn't play disks but a significant step up from the Oppo.  Loved the I2S over HDMI.

3) Holo Audio May KTE - R2R, further step up from the PSAudio, but that DAC is still very good.  I got more detail without losing the music and body.  Great DAC, very flexible array of inputs, separate power supply, built like a tank, aesthetics are of course personal.  I used it primarily in NOS mode.

4) Out of production but available - MSB Reference DAC, proprietary ladder design, extraordinary build quality and support.  In my system it was a big step up, but the price is really going up now.  It allowed my to remove a very expensive preamp which helped with cost.  I bought a factory refurbished unit that had been traded in.  It looks brand new and has the latest clock and other features.  It has a very innovative volume control and XLR inputs that support my analog and sounds great.  I would say it is better in all regards but you would expect that.  More detail without harshness.  Great low end and dynamics.

Lampizator Big7; just sounds like live music, super engaging and alive!

There are so many DAC choices- tough to narrow it down without a stated budget.  The OPs list hints at a budget, but it’s not very definitive.

I still have a Denafrips Pontus ll.  It’s been everything I’ve wanted in a DAC. R2R for this guy.

Maybe someday I’ll move up the line.

Hello dvdgreco!  Emotiva makes a remarkable deck for the $$. Very smooth and musical. I'm a musician and know how instruments really sound. I've bought and listened extensively to Sony, a couple of  those bug named thumb drive sized plug ins, SMSLs, Meridian, Pre Box, and quite a few others. I really liked the Sony, but when I tried the Emotiva (there is only one model) -  wow, clear winner! I use a homebrew passive preamp, Starke Sound power amp (highly recommended) and Magnepan LRS (and LRS+) with crossovers from GRS labs and DIY subs. Super transparent. On the Messiah recording from the Belgian orchestra with four German soloists, you can tell the wall behind the orchestra is made of bricks. That's transparent! If you can spend thou$ands on DACs, spend it on cruise tickets to places where you can hear lots of live music. Keep smiling!

I got the Denafrips Venus2 12th (R2R) which i got a couple of years ago, is still my got to DAC. It sounds analog like to me as compared to my previous Chord  QuTest and I find it better to my taste as compared to the Holo Dac KTE.

The Holo Dac is very good, but just a matter of taste. either one is a winner.

I dunno, it sounds like it sounds I guess.  It's the DA2 in my McIntosh C2800.  I like it.

Grimm MU2 here.  - it’s hard to isolate the DAC specifically since it’s a combination of streamer, DAC, Preamp, but it’s clearly a step or two above my prior combination id separates, which I absolutely loved, that included a Sonnet Pasithea DAC. And for reference, I had no desire to upgrade my DAC. I love the Pasithea. My move was made to get a preamp that accepted analog inputs and simplify in the process. I didn’t expect the upgrade SQ I got. 

The MU2 It is very musical, transparent, and analog sounding. 
 

My T+A DAC 200 made my music “come alive”. Large, excellent imaging that makes the speakers disappear. I look forward to listening it everyday.

Aesthetix Pandora Sig w ancient but well tended Amperex and Mullards. Very analog….but…there are MANY musical DAC out there…

have fun and enjoy the search and music,

My Naim NP555 and 555DR PS sound like music as I like it to.

I really like my Mola mola Tambaqui

Though Ive heard the MPD8 IS a great great DAC 

but having never heard one I can't say if it "best" the Tambaqui

“What does your DAC sound like”

….sounds articulate, honest but with just enough warmth to keep my foot tapping and shoulders relaxed. 

Unless you are comparing DACS to each other in the same system one after another you wouldn't have a clue how they sound. Peoples critical listening skills just aren't that good especially after a certain amount of time has passed!

@willywonka - Total rubbish! 'Your' listening skills may not be good enough, but plenty of peoples are, mine included. Don't judge others' skills by your own.

I went from my trusty old, and very good, Stello DA 220 MkII to a Denafrips Pontus 15th a while ago, and was staggered by how much better it was, but ONLY after it'd had a few weeks 'running in' - it sounded flat and lifeless when new.

I was so enamoured with the beautiful, musical, detailed, dynamic, smooth, almost analoge sound that I've just taken delivery of their Venus 15th, which, afer my wonderful experience with my Pontus 15th, I have great expectations for - once it's run in - although after just a few hours warm up, is starting to sound good.

@willywonka not worth it to argue with people who will fail an audiometry test but can hear unicorns 

Hans Beekhuyzen has the GRIMM in his top reference system and touts it his reference choice and best-of-breed determined by performance and his not insignificant budget strata .

https://youtu.be/g_WTck71bHM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K_p7fWe9ZcM

@daveteauk I'm not an ASR believer by any means although I do believe measurements matter. I have a relatively expensive DAC ($5600) and I do believe that there are differences in sound between DACS. I just don't believe most people have the listening skills or ability to fully understand the differences without careful comparisons. Believe whatever you want! It's your money!

Every response I appreciate. 
beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. However the sound signature of a piece does standout. r2R are more relaxed sounding whereas some chips sound bright. 
 

budget wise I have limits . 5k is probably the max unless it’s a piece that can serve well to replace my convergent audio Ultimate mkii preamp. 
 

More important than topology is how that topology is implemented. Yes, some chip dacs can be bright, analytical, others can be relaxed, very analog like sound, I have both R2R and Sabre chip dac at the moment, both very analog like, timbre and timing very much like my vinyl setup. And its not just the dac, same dac can sound very different depending on entire audio system which includes room, ac, and entire streaming setup. For streaming setups timing is critical, the same dac can sound digital or very analog like depending on clocking implemented in network, streamers and/or DDC

Playback Design Dream Dac..all day long.....for sure !!!

Confused about your price range since you mentioned the MU2 ($18K) but then you said $5K.

Re: DACs, I liked the Mearson DAC1 Mk2 quite a bit for its smooth musicality but liked my Mojo Audio Mystique X SE better, and also liked the Mojo better than the Tambaqui.  Still have the Mojo DAC but also an Aries Cerat Helene, which I like even better.  However, at that level, the incremental improvements seem to get smaller. I would still like to hear:

• Plaback Designs Dream DAC
• Grimm MU2
• Totaldac D-1 Bi-Unity
• Meitner MA3i
• EMM Labs DA2 V2
• Aries Cerat Kassandra

Some of those have an integrated preamp, but may still be above your price range. If your price is around $5K, consider a Mojo Audio Y DAC.

The one that blew me away recently, given the price, was an old Monarchy 22B with BB PCM-63 DAC chips, for which I paid $350.  Tonally in line with the naturally organic sounding Mojo Audio and Aries Cerat DACs along some of the best bass I have heard from a DAC. A bit less refined than the Mojo and AC DACs but, otherwise, very listenable. I am considering having it upgraded.

I have an MSB Discrete DAC with a Premier Power Base, with Revelation Audio umbilicals.  I can't really say what the DAC sounds like, other than to say that I like it and the improvement in my system from the MSB Analog DAC that it replaced, which was also great.  What I can say specifically is that the volume control on the DAC is about equivalent to the ARC LS28SE preamp.  After running the DAC direct to the amp using its built in volume control, I put the LS28SE in and honestly couldn't tell the difference.  No improvement.  But when I put in the ARC REF6, it was a big step forward, and that is my current set up.

All DACs sound veiled and noisy. Skip the DAC. All-in-one WT-95 ($990) sound much cleaner and musical.  Alex.Wavetouch

Audiogon ad - Wavetouch WT-95

Notable DACs under 5k:

• Ferrum Wandla+1.2 HYPSOS power supply - HR competes w 10k DACs 
• LAiV Harmony DAC
• Musician Aquarius -sounds like a $5k DAC
• Denafrips Terminator
• Linear Tube Audio Aero DAC
• Wired4Sound DAC-2v2SE                    
• Audio-GD R7HE MK2           

For the best performance/price, the Ferrum Wandla+Hypsos power supply.

A used T+A DAC200 would also be an excellent choice 

If you want analog like sound with superb resolution and dynamic impact, I suggest one of several Lampizator Poseidon DACs currently available listed in HiFi Shark.  Otherwise, the less expensive used DACs, there are another 28 Lampizator tube DACs available listed at that site.  I own the Poseidon.  

@mitch2 Just read your post from yesterday.  I don't know how long you have had your new Mojo DAC but have you noticed a difference from the X SE.  From the website I read their where a few changes and some seem more for protection.  Also you said you had a monarch.  I had not heard of that DAC before.  I did notice the chip is the one Ben at Mojo said he was wanting to use the next generation.  What do you do to upgrade?  That seems like a very affordable way to get to a really good DAC.

I recently landed an Audio-GD R7HE Mk3 for comparison to my Esoteric K-01X.  The R2R GD slightly edges out the K01X with USB input from a Sonore Sig Rendu Deluxe, with further gains over I2S input from Pareto Audio’s new single mode FO EN to I2S node.  Couldn’t be more pleased with the change, though admittedly outside the $5K ceiling post-tariiffs.

My experience is for not much money the  Denafrips Pontus ll is a very good sounding dac. In fact I purchased the top terminator model and preferred the sound of the Pontus. However the Holo May Kte is what stopped my search. If you don’t care about DSD the Schitt YGGY is also a good try. 

1. @dwest1023 So you prefer the Holo May over the Terminator Plus.  Do you use any filters or run it in NOS?  What type of streamer do you use?

I am currently listening to a Yamamoto YDA-1 and it sounds very vivid, immediate, and musical. They do pop up used from time to time but not often.

+1 R2R topology +1 Denafrips products. I have several deltasigma DACs in lower systems that measure “world class” but pretty much sound the same, except for the most expensive best measuring model, all crisp, clean, clear, transparent, neutral, linear, etc.  The top of the line has all of that with just a little extra across the board.

They all sound great, but…in my “main rig” I run a Pontus II fed by an IRIS DDC, and big 300b/845 tube amp into Klipschorns.  Simply sublime, until I turn it up, then WOW! I also believe source plays just as important, if not more important role.  Bucket list would be Grimm MU-1 into a Terminator Plus with top of the line clock.

Everything matters, some things more than others, source, DAC, amp, preamp, speakers, room, etc. all with good synergy is the destination.  Enjoy the journey, once you think you’ve arrived, there’s always somewhere else to go. 

@brbrock 

i use Nos mainly. Occasionally I use the over sampling filters. The Terminator is an excellent dac and at the price point is system matching and preference. 

dvdgreco

For around $5,000 I'd look hard at the new Denafrips Terminator 15th R2R ladder DAC. Denafrips DACs all lean more to the sound signature that you are seeking, and are just plain brilliant IMO. I own the Pontus and have helped a bunch friends install Pontus and Terminator DACs in their systems. Mapman58 here on Agon is a reseller, and he has them for $5,300 I believe?

Don't think you can beat this one near the current sales price of $3,315.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/l-k-s-mh-da006-dual-es9038pro-digital-to-analog-convertor-dac

budget wise I have limits . 5k is probably the max unless it’s a piece that can serve well to replace my convergent audio Ultimate mkii preamp. 

@dvdgreco 

This is confusing. Originally it seemed you were targeting a stand alone DAC, but here you seem to be looking for a preamp with a DAC?

The Vermeer looks like an interesting piece. Very analog like with preamp functionality. If dac only 5k max, but if preamp built in could stretch further to 8k range based on sale of convergent ultimate preamp .