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If Conrad Johnson still made a DAC it would sound like??

Having suffered a recent round of IT layoffs I'm not sure I should even be asking this question right now, but I think I'm going to be ready to move from my Mytek to something juicy and deceptive.  Bold, soundstage and not particularly neutral when it comes to a DAC.  Old school Theta Digital sound might be what I'm looking for, but with modern USB inputs.

What DAC, from the past 5-10 years, should I listen to, in the < $3,500 range?

erik_squires
durangoat
19 posts
 

How about one of the older PS Audio Directstream DACS?

zlone
421 posts
 

Juicy and deceptive. This made me think of Herb’s review of the Border Patrol DAC. He liked the natural sound, but JA said the measurements were terrible. Some people seem to like it. 

rubicon15
82 posts
 

Switch over to the Conrad Johnson Owners Group. You may find more specific information regarding the type of DAC you are looking for that will pair well with CJ. I’ve had a Lampizator Amber 3 for a few years. There are a few users on CJOG that have a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge, not just some reviewer with 15 years of experience that you may encounter on this site. 

erik_squires OP
15,805 posts
 

How do I get from Theta to CJ?  Both were colorful. Obvious stand outs that don't sound like "me too."

To clarify, I do not currently own any CJ equipment.  My audio stack is essentially a Mytek Brooklyn and Luxman integrated. 

rubicon15
82 posts
 

Sorry, I thought you had CJ equipment. Stick with this group and audition your top 2 or 3 options. Best of luck. 

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