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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
yyzsantabarbara
4,530 posts
 

@verdantaudio I know that you have done extensive testing with DACs and I have read almost everything you wrote here about it. It was very informative. I believe what you are hearing today with the GAN1.

I have done "amp rolling" with my RAAL SR1a earphones over the last 2 years. I have a very high opinion of them, and I wanted to find the best gear for them. I tried 10 2-channel amps with them, $2K - $11K range.

One thing that was a factor in my evaluations was my physical reaction via ear fatigue. I get fatigue easily with bad sound and the SR1a can bring that on with a bad pairing. The only amps that did not cause any fatigue were the KRELL 175XD, CODA #8, and Parasound A21+, I attributed that to the slight warmth of the amp, preamp, and DAC.

The GAN1 trumped those 3 amps with the SR1a, it sounded the best. Thus, I do not think of it as bright. My ears would have been screaming, especially since I was testing with hard rock/heavy metal to purposefully try and cause ear pain.

 

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,469 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara i trust you too.  That is what surprised me about this.  I am very interested to see how your unit burns in.  

david_ten
5,480 posts
 

@verdantaudio  Scott,  Hmm.... believing in Santa... troubling. 

yyzsantabarbara
4,530 posts
 

Believing in Barbara is even more risky!

tonywinga's avatar
tonywinga
844 posts
 

I don’t get why the Ayon line of DACs are not mentioned more often.  The Stealth XS DAC sounds amazing.  Pair it with a high quality power cord and its sound is outstanding.  It is open and detailed which is why a good power cord is needed to keep the highs on some recordings from being too edgy.  It creates a giant soundstage, the decay goes on forever- more in most cases than on my vinyl recordings.  I close my eyes to listen and the soundstage goes wide and deep.  I open my eyes and suddenly walls are in the middle of the soundstage.  I love doing that, it works every time.  The detail and resolution in CDs with this DAC is way more than I ever thought possible from digital.  To me this DAC is the biggest open secret in audio.

I heard a couple of big name, big dollar DACs in November.  Came home even more satisfied with my Stealth XS.

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