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What's the best Dac for the money

I've been looking for a Dac , approx to spend $5-7 k here is a list I've tried calyx femto $7000 very good but very sterile , Abington research $4000 but found it had no soul $4500 , then a friend told me about a Dac by audio horizon and a trial program they have with there gear , interested buyers can try it on there systems , so I arranged to get one shipped for trial

This Dac was really something micro detail a lot better than the others soundstage was huge , bottom end better especially for a $3500 price tAg compared to the others , I just want to know if others had the same results , as I forward the money for purchase this Dac this audio horizon Dac is the real deal , it surprises me on every cd
pavpet

Showing 4 responses by mitch2

mitch2
3,696 posts
 
If this dac is the real deal then why list it for sale now so soon?
Good question, le. Why do you think Pavpet is selling the Audio Horizons DAC? Did he have it listed for sale on 2-3, because I do not see it listed for sale now?

For Pavpet, how about an update on how your Audio Horizons DAC sounds. For some years now, they have offered products that buyers have reported to be a high value for the price. What model did you purchase, the 32/192 Upsampling TD 3.1 Tube DAC? Did you get any extras or upgrades by Audio Horizons? How does it sound now, compared to the others you tried?
mitch2
3,696 posts
 
Has anyone here heard the Aqua Hifi La Scala MKII DAC? The price is at the upper end of the OP's range ($6,800 USD), which puts it below the upper Lampizator and Rowland DACs, and about equal to the Empirical ODSE. It has received several very positive reviews but hardly any comments here.
John Darko review of Aqua HiFi La Scala MKII
mitch2
3,696 posts
 
Yeah, I should have said the "top" Lampizator and Rowland DACs.

The Aqua has some interesting features such as their use of a galvanic and magnetic separation circuit with high-speed opto-couplers, hybrid tube/Mosfet output stage, and modular design. I am curious how those who have heard it would rank the SQ.
mitch2
3,696 posts
 
Wisnon, I auditioned an L4G4 and I thought it sounded good in some respects, like midrange tonality, musicality, dimensionality and decay, but not so good at the extremes and specifically in the bass, which I thought had body but lacked impact.

Like Mapman, I have been content to stay with my non-oversampling R2R DAC, a Metrum Hex. So far, I have found the Hex to keep up with source upgrades I have done to my Mac mini server and USB delivery. A recent inquiry about updating to their latest/new USB board that works with OS X Mavericks was answered promptly and reasonably by Cees himself at Metrum, indicating good client service, which is important to me.

Because I am curious about how a higher level (aka more expensive) DAC might sound in my system, and because of my preference for solid state, I am planning on trying the ODSE when the opportunity permits. Even though the Aqua has two tubes (a tube/MOSFET hybrid output stage), Darko's comments about the unit sparked my interest in learning more.

I have not considered the L7 because of the price. If I decide to extend to that price level, the CAD 1543 and the Total DAC would be on my “must hear” list.
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