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Best DACs under $7,000.00

I'm tentatively beginning the search for a DAC upgrade.  Currently, I have Innuos Zen MK3 as a streamer connected via USB to a Denafrips Iris DDC that is connected via I2S to a Denafrips Pontus II DAC.  The Pontus II is excellent but I feel it's the one point where I could gain incremental improvement toward that illusive natural, layered, analog end-of-the-rainbow.  I simply can't / won't spend above $5,000.00 - $7,000.00 on the DAC. The rest of my system:  top-of-line Prima Luna Evo 400 Integrated Amp and a set of Harbeth speakers.  Right now, I'm looking at Denafrips Terminator II or Holo Audio May DAC.  I've never seen an a/b comparison of these two, but both stand out and have a following.  Of course, the unsettling thing is DACs have evolved so much and are still in a blooming state technologically, making it a given that whatever we have today will probably be surpassed by better for less later, like electric vehicles. But that's the nature of the beast.  Does anyone have alternative suggestions in this current climate?

gregjacob
tom23
16 posts
 

I would think the Chord TT2 would be the best match as others have suggested. I base that on how it would work with your existing gear, using a tube amp and Harbeths, it would balance them out nicely. I think if I had neutral, analytical sounding speakers and amplifiers I would want an R2R DAC like Holo Audio to bring an organic richness, but with your kit the purity, accuracy and detail of a Chord DAC would maximize the sound of your other components, which have a character of their own that you like. And you can upgrade it with the m-scaler at a later date.

 

Edit: sorry you can ignore this comment, I typed it before I read your update about not using the Harbeths, I'm not familiar with the Dadealus so couldn't really help. But I think all these suggestions are great and your system should sound epic with a nice upgrade. Good luck in your search.

gregjacob OP
102 posts
 

Thanks Tom!  Good suggestion and I will certainly look at the TT2. Kind regards. 

jriggy's avatar
jriggy
549 posts
 

Calling the Bricasti M3 “light” and/or “bright” goes against the reviews, as well as my own experience owning one for a couple years (yes, with MDX). It was never light or bright in my system, through a few system iterations. The M3 is ‘warmer feeling’ than the M1 due to M3’s low end performance over the M1, combined with M1 being more detailed over the M3. I also owned Daedalus speakers for almost a decade. I see no synergy issues happening between Bricasti and Daedalus. Daedalus are powerful, sometimes forward (in the good way) and not ‘lean’ but def not fat/round in the bass, so IMO, something like the M3 would have great synergy. 

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,091 posts
 

@gregjacob 

Don’t audition Chord DAC unless you have a flexibility to return it. 

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