@terrapin77 -2/26/77, Swing Auditorium. Epic show that kicks off a wonderful run of performances.
Need help choosing a new DAC
With so many options for DACs these days, I'm having a hard time deciding on a new DAC. Currently considering a MHDT Orchid or Pagoda, Denafrips Pontus II, Benchmark DAC3, Schitt Yggdrasil, or Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE. I don't need any options such as volume control, BT, or MQA. I also prefer musicality over measurements. I'm currently using a SMSL SU-9, which will be moved over to my office system. I'm tired of moving it back and forth between systems. My bank account prefers the cost of the Orchid since the other options cost up to twice as much, but I can go as high as $2500. I mostly steam Qobuz thru a Raspberry Pi 4, but also use a Cambridge Audio CXC v2 CD transport on occasion. My preamp is a Don Sachs DS2 tube preamp going into a D-Sonic m3a-1200s amp feeding "Gunned" MMGs. I mostly listen to the Grateful Dead, rock, jazz, and acoustic music. Which DAC should I get and are the any others I should look at?
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If you enjoy detail and accuracy in your music I don’t think that you could do any better than demoing a Chord Qutest. I think it’s the best sounding DAC at its price point. And given your budget getting one either new or used would leave you room to purchase quality interconnects and other peripherals that might come in handy to compliment your system. |
Hey there @terrapin77. Am very curious about your thoughts on your new DAC and how much difference the big step up makes. I'm a fellow SMSL user, though a little beat down the line at the Sanskrit 10th mkII. It's cheap but it's great, does DSD very well which you should look into for classic rock and jazz, plenty available. Well, the Tubadour III SE does DSD to PCM conversion "on the fly", so I guess not native. But your SMSL does! IMO it spanks PCM up and down the street. FYI there's only 4 Dead albums on SACD, done by MFSL: Workingman's Dead, American Beauty, Blues For Allah, and From the Mars Hotel. The first 2 sound incredible like they do in any format. The last 2 not so much, and I much prefer live versions of those songs anyways. I have the 24-192 versions of some '77-78 Betty Board stuff, love the Get Shown the Light box, but the hi-res is barely distinguishable from redbook. Maybe I need a better DAC. This is a great thread, I have my eye on the Denafrips Pontus II for a (far in the) future purchase. |
@drewdawg999 The DAC is currently in transit. I will let you know my thoughts on it once I get a chance to listen to it. |
- 97 posts total