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

I have just read about the $5,000 Audio GD R-7HE  Mk2 dac in the latest issue of Stereophile and it took my breath away. Included in the review is a very good comparison with the sound of the Holo May, Denafrips Terminator and Mola Mola Tambaqui. And dsd sounds great too even though this is an R2R dac.

Pass on the PRC stuff have a DAC on the way to demo and it is R2R see if it beat my 680D. Of its a LessLoss.

jon2020

Thanks for the info about the Audio-GD R7HE Mk2.  I cannot find the link to a Stereophile review.  Could you put a link up for us?  Thanks.

 

From what I could find, there are some positive reviews as well as negative and also some mixed ones.  It might improve someone's DAC need if they are moving up from a < $1K level DAC.