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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
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Overdrive SE is the DAC to beat. Combine this DAC with the Final Drive transformer buffer and Short-Block USB filter for best results. $9948.00 for all of these with the best options.

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/overdrive-dac

You will not want to use a preamp with this DAC. The volume control beats all active preamps. Its not a preamp and its not software digital.

There were dCS Vivaldi stacks in rooms on either side of me at RMAF 2013 and although they were very good, I would pick the Overdrive SE over these.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
theaudiotweak
2,795 posts
 
This with 8 stacked Dac modules with all brass harmonically tensioned chassis and outboard power supply mounted to 2 custom terminated Sistrum platforms...Don't use an aluminum chassis it is sonically much inferior than one made of brass. Tom
http://www.dddac.com/
dweinstein
25 posts
 
After trying over a dozen DACs, consistently the best sound is always from Weiss equipment, either their entry level stuff or the Medea + is just out of this world.
thesaint519
162 posts
 
I'm picking up a Meitner MA-1 this weekend. Can't wait. What did u ultimately decide on?
899bk
22 posts
 
Have owned everything up to 80k. Wyred Dac 2dsd se with Femto clock is a steal at $2500 retail. I thought it killed PS Direct Stream. Which I had my DCS 80K stack back to compare.
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