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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
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gregjacob OP
102 posts
 

To Tvad:  I would agree with you.  In all the reviews and conversations I've had with owners and sellers, the Lampi B3 is not described with those terms. As DACs have evolved in the past few years, the Amber 3 has been profiled as slightly warmish by some, but the updated Amber 4 is more like the Baltic 3.

Another DAC that is similar in dynamics and accolades to the Baltic but out of my price range is the TotalDAC. We have the Lampizator from Poland, TotalDac from France, Weiss from Switzerland, and La Scala from Italy. All fine music makers from the European side serving high-end systems. No matter how crowded the market, the Lampis are still used with top equipment to showcase sound magic at tradeshows.

rja's avatar
rja
2,356 posts
 

To muddy the conversation a bit more, you could check out the Meitner M3.

A used or demo unit should make the stated price range.

gregjacob OP
102 posts
 

To rja: Yes, it is getting good reviews.

 

To: tvad:  I spoke to Lampizator today and was given some interesting information.  First, the Amber 4 is a solid upgrade from the Amber 3.  Second, the Baltic 3 is in the middle of an important upgrade.  A quote from today:  "Although we kept the Baltic 3 name, as of October all Baltic 3s ship with our newest engine 11. Same engine that will be going into our Golden Gate 3 as well. I was using an Amber 4 but just got the newest Baltic 3 and it's a very nice upgrade. Like the old B3 it's more resolved from top to bottom. The added improvement is a much more liquid presentation now.  Again, great DACs getting upgrades.

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