dacs that I have had in my system - a listing


i comment quite a bit on threads about digital/analog converters, as i have tried many since the covid period in early 2020, when i recommitted to my hifi and getting streaming and a truly modern digital front end implemented in my main home system

i have had questions on what dacs i have actually tried -- so last week when i was sleepless on a long transcontinental flight home from a holiday, i made a listing, which i post below

almost all dacs below have been owned, and spent extensive time (at least 2-3 months) in my system, obviously there have been changes in my system over this time, and not all dacs were owned at the same time

i post this here so others can refer to this here - i looked, but i could not find a way to post this on my 'system' page

the asterisk-ed entries are still in hand, currently:

 

2020

topping d90 mqa

ayre codex

mhdt stockholm 

mhdt orchid

mhdt istanbul

denafrips pontus original

musical paradise mpd1

ps audio d link iii modded cullen

bs node 2i

 

2021

denafrips ares 2 

denafrips pontus 2

denafrips terminator 

auris d1d vu

audio mirror tubador 3 se

van alstine fet topp*

van alstine fet hybrid

rme adi 2 (akm)

schiit modius 

schiit gumby

schiit yggy*

sonnet morpheus

border patrol se i

metrum jade

metrum octave

metrum hex

metrum adagio

musical fidelity trivista 21 (modded)*

weiss 501* (now 4ch)

 

2022

chord 2qute 

chord qutest

chord m scaler* hugo tt2*

mhdt orchid modded*

audio note kits dac4 pro

msb analog w powerbase*

denafrips venus 2*

denafrips pontus 12

audio gd master 7

musetec 005

bs node n130

bricasti m1se mdx

doge 7

hegel h90 190 390 590* (internal)

 

2023

gustard r26*

eversolo dmp a6 master*

mhdt toucan

orchard pecan pi*

cambridge audio cxn2 modwright modded tubed*

128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xjjss49

Would you mind commenting on the differences between two units still in your possession, the Weiss DAC501-4ch and the Chord Electronics Hugo TT2 / M Scaler combo that are in the same price range?

tonally, the scaler/hugo tt2 sounds very very similar to the weiss, they both have extended airy detailed treble, a nicely saturated, well textured midrange, true tone/timbre, and powerful quick deep tuneful bass

in terms of imaging, the scaler/tt2 has similar image density and width but slightly greater depth (in terms of depth of stage think of the weiss as an ’8’ and the chord stack as a ’9/10’ -- both delineate instruments quite precisely -- on excellent recordings, one can hear the treble of the chord stack has a touch more sheen, silkiness, more ambiance decay, whereas the weiss is a little more matter-of-fact

the sonic differences are quite slight between the two... i would think most would judge them as pretty much identical

this said, each has certain tricks up their respective sleeves... weiss has numerous useful eq and importantly, a brilliantly easy to use room bass mode adjustment (quite transformative of sound in some situations) and the tt2 has 4 filter settings to dial down the treble if one desires, and of course, the scaler can be used separately to upsample into other dacs too if ever desired

sidebar: i have come to firmly believe that upsampling really helps dacs do good filtering and analog signal reconstruction, and this helps dacs sound more natural and manage sibilance

I guess since I’m in the market to replace my Chord Qutest after 5-happy years of ownership I’d be curious what are your fav $1500 to $3200 DACs might be.

if you have been a very happy qutest user, i would heartily suggest moving up to a hugo tt2 -- they are in the $3500 used range now...tt2 preserves all the strengths of the qutest but adds even greater subtlety and saturation to the sonic palette -- otherwise, you can write more about your system, what sonic presentation and features you prefer and i can share additional thoughts

You could make a DAC review channel with short videos. Many people don’t need to buy a new DAC every 6 months and just watch your videos. Alex/Wavetouch

haha, not really interested, i am somewhat camera shy 😂🤣 , not to mention i am rather turned off by the yt click-bait game -- what i am is a loyal, longtime a-gon member, been here from the start, learned so much here over the years from other dedicated audiophiles who generously shared their experiences and learnings (especially re analog), so at this point, i am happy to pay it back now to others, feel zero need to monetize my opinions/experience

otherwise, you can write more about your system, what sonic presentation and features you prefer and i can share additional thoughts

My digital system is a Jay's Audio CDT2 MK3 Transport, a SoTM SMS200 Ultra network streamer with SMP500 power supply, The Chord Qutest with Sbooster power supply, a Naim Supernait 3 integrated and Harbeth P3ESR speakers.

I really like the sound stage depth and the separation between instruments the Qutest provides. As for what I want to get from something else is really more of the same with a sense of ease and realism.

I stick with gear i like a long time. Every few years I like to try something new, something different to see if "better" is out there.

On my list of possible replacements for the Qutest is Holo Audio Spring3 KTE, the Weiss DAC 204, Denefrips Pontus II, and maybe Gustard R26. I'm interested in R2R because I've not heard one,  The Spring and the Weiss are at the top of my list.

For a long time I was only looking for a used Hugo TT2 - but I kind of feel like I've been there and done that. So, I'm looking at something different than the Qutest.

Only had a few dacs. Presently running a vintage Audio By Van Alstine Insight Multibit dac from 2008, A Schiit Modius AKM4493, Schiit Modi 2 Uber, and an original ifi Zen Dac Signature. IME all are very good dacs for the money.

One of the best sounding dacs I have heard was an Anodyne Adapt hybrid from the early 1990’s using Burr Brown chips. Not inexpensive at the time (about $2500 - nearly $6000 US in the present day), but very impressive. Sorry I ever sold it.

 

@jjss49   I wonder if your final 3 would have changed if did not have a preference for a volume control?

As many have said this report its a valuable contribution to the overall community.