Best DAC’S $5k to $15k

In my home, the Tambaqui bested the Dave.  We did not have the M Scaler; is this Chord's streamer?

+1 on the Moon by Simaudio recommendation by @akg_ca . They have some spectacularly good products, I'll be installing a 780D in my system in a few weeks time 😀

@fastfreight  Chord Mscaler is an upsampler

axeis1,

For context I've owned a PS Audio Directstream, Jeff Rowland Aeris, and Bricasti M1. I had a home audition of a Chord TT2 with Mscaler, Rockna Signature, Mola Mola Tambaqui, DCS Bartok(non-APEX), DCS Rossini APEX DAC, and several others.

I currently own a Chord Dave DAC without the Mscaler. I don't like the Mscaler in my system. To my ears the Mscaler makes everything sound artificial. In direct comparison to the TT2 with Mscaler, I found the Dave more open and detailed.

In my opinion differences between highend components are often exaggerated. I've heard differences between all of the DACs, but none were night and day. I often find there is a trade-off when switching from one DAC to another. The Bartok was too dark in  my system, while the Rossini was way too bright(best soundstage). I found the Mola Mola Tambaqui to be very close to the Dave, but in my system the Dave produced better defined bass. If I owned the Tambaqui, I wouldn't sell it for the Dave, that's how close they sound in my system.

The knock on the Dave is it's supposed to be bright and/or analytical sounding. In my opinion we must consider the rest of the "system". In my "system" the Dave just sounds right based on my preferences. The Dave is very open, 3-dimensional, very good tonality, and produces detail without brightness. That being said, you may prefer something else in your system.

I’ve tried a few and the ones that sound most non fatiguing and natural to my ears are the Audio Mirror Toubadour V and the Merason DAC1 latest version. I use both one in my main system and one in my office system. Speakers are Dali Epicon 8 and Focal Diablo Utopia. Amps are pathos adrenalin and kinki B7 monoblocks. streamers are Lumin U2 and Hifi Rose 130. I’ve also tried them out with Sophia electric Set amps and gold note 1175 amp. 
 

I tried the Dave but ultimately didn’t go for it. Also have a Schitt Yggdrasil OG and Okto Dac8 as cheaper alternatives but the AM Toubadour and merason blow them out of the water.