[2bigears]

  hello good AC peeps. I'm still on the fence with the next Choice. A new dac. Starting at 2 grand and going up to 5 or 6 tops. What new dac seems to cover the bases the best. Going up by a grand or so. I'm really not in the loop at all. Current dac is the old Infinity better model Tranquility SE.  I sorta know the big boys and their names.  But maybe there are some machines that do 90% for 50% less loot ? Techno marches on fast these days. Is the Holo May the only game in town for the $$. Thanks for any words. Before the wallet gets abused one more time !   Ha.   

[Endo2112]

Bought a SMSL D400ES a couple months back ~$1100 if memory serves, absolutely stunning dac!!! I'm thinking that you would need to spend substantially more to get slightly better performance, uses the brand new state of the art ESS chip which does everything extremely well. They also make one with AK chips called the EX, pick your flavor, I picked the ES because the specs are better and i'm not disappointed at all.

Don

[2bigears]

  thanks Don. I've seen that one in reviews and it's interesting. That and the May dac are like 3 grand apart at least. Is that 3 large coming through the speakers or is it that last 10% bs they talk about ? 

[Freo-1]

If you are really looking for a higher end DAC, the only ones that really stand out are the ones with custom filtering software.  For me, that would be something from Chord, such as a QUTEST or Hugo 2/TT2.  They make a significant improvement over the vast majority of DAC's with off the shelf filtering.


Add a M-Scaler, and you will be in digital nirvana.   

[mr_bill]

Chord dacs are real nice.

I have Gustard X18 and really like it.

[2bigears]

  if I bought a SMSL 400 , would I hear a large improvement over my oldie but goodie dac ?   

[jpm]

What equipment are you pairing your new DAC with, source and all?

[GeorgeAb]

My bang for the buck choice would be a used PS Audio Directstream DAC they go for around $2,500. Price has dropped substantially with the release of the MK2. Then have the transformers swapped out along with the Vocm modification. Cost is $1,110 for mod if you have it done. $650 for xformers if you do. Lots of discussion on this thread which is an old thread going on 5,300 post on modification with the original DAC chief designer chiming in.... recommend working your way back if you have any inclination to wade your way through.  https://forum.psaudio.com/t/modding-the-directstream-dac-mki/2680/5570?u=aps  The xformers are part of the low pass filter used to take the DSD to audio. It is reported that you will surpass the Directstream MK2 DAC. The DAC is velvety smooth (analogish) without sacrificing detail and soundstage. 

I am sensitive to digital music reproduction (that edge) so I like PS Audio and Chord DACs. I am sure there are others I just have no experience with them. I have a lower rung Chord the Qutest. Super smooth, but I much prefer the PS Audio as there is more information, seperation, soundstage. I would take a $2,500 used PS Audio over a used Cutest at $1,300. The unmodded PS Audio DAC is very good.

Big caveat on the modification. I have not heard, only read the mods folks have performed and how they have evolved; where they went with the xformer currently used in the MK2 Encore XS4400, then Lundahl and others, and then this custom xformer designed for this application. I am currently in the process of having my DAC modded so I can post an update. Should have back in a few days. Factor in my excitement.

I am sure the Holo May is a fine dac. I have heard at shows, but too many variables to judge. 

Not sure if you are in a big city where there is an audio society. If so, consider getting involved as you may be able to audition others DACs.

On the "Would I hear a difference", would be good to know what current DAC is and what speakers you have. In my experience a quality headphone is a good way to audition a DAC even if you strictly use in a speaker system to determine differences.   

Take your time and happy hunting on your DAC journey. 

This is the update on the DS1 nickle transformer modification. There is also a comparison between the Holo Audio Spring 3 and DS1 with nickel xformer mod included. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/modding-the-ps-audio-directstream-dac-mk1-and-mk2?

[fado]

I have had the ~2011 Bolder Cable Co modified Eastern Electric DAC, the Acoustic Plan Digimaster NOS DAC (these are sold by Shindo dealers) and my current Lampizator Amber 3 DAC which I purchased new as a show special for $2500 in 2020. In my system the Lampizator sounds the best by a good margin. If I upgraded earlier it would have been to the Baltic 3, but, Lampizator now makes an Amber 4 and a Baltic 4. The Baltic 4 is over your suggested price range but a new Amber 4 or used Baltic 3 should be within your range. It would be interesting to know how the new Amber 4 compares with a used Baltic 3. Perhaps there are AC members out there who have had a chance to compare them. I started putting together my system in 2011 and feel that, other than speakers, DACs are the component that have had the most impact on moving up sound quality.

[JackD]

Pascal

I own both a Holo May KTE and a Spring 3 KTE.  The difference in price is $5600 US vs $3100 US so just under twice as much.  To my ears after over a year and many hours of listening to both is that the Spring 3 will get you well over 90% of what the May KTE brings to the table and in a blind test it is likely you could not tell the difference without hours of listening to them side by side in the same system. What the May KTE brings to the table is obviously the extra separate power supply which wrings the last little bit out of the DAC. If you are still looking at getting both a new DAC and a streamer I would buy the Spring 3 KTE and the Holo Red for $3900 and be done. I also own the Directstream Mk I with the transformer upgrade and while the transformers did make a good improvement it still did not better the Spring 3 KTE or the Aqua La Voce S3 in my systems much less the May KTE.  I have owned all of these DAC's and had them in my systems for years so not speculating on how they might sound compared to each other. 

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I would look at the Holo May, Aqua La Voce S3, Chord Hugo, PS Audio Direct Stream (I love the fact that you can change the sound of this dac with its available different software packages that are easy to install.  I wish that I bought this DAC instead of my Luxman).  Another DAC to consider is the Aqua La Scala.  It is one of the best DAC's that I have heard.  2 friends of mine bought them and I have heard them at 1 friends house who also brought it over to my house and it sounded fabulous in my system.  The other guy bought one to replace the Holo Spring DAC and it sounds much better than the Spring which I do not care for at all.  The La Scala is very analog sounding with no fatigue at all.  It does have 2 tubes and it is modular and made so that future upgrades can be installed by swapping modules.  I think that the Aqua La Voce is the same.  I prefer the La Scala over the Holo May which is also an excellent dac. I would also take it over the PS Audi dac.  Bricasti is another DAC to consider.   The original Bricasti DAC was one of the best DAC's that I heard a few years ago at Axpona.  They had the best sounding room at the show with their amps and Tidal speakers.  The sound was breath taking.

[JackD]

Larry

If your friends Spring DAC was an earlier model (now on 3rd version) then would account for the Aqua beating it handily.  Current version is different and sounds almost identical to May.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Larry

If your friends Spring DAC was an earlier model (now on 3rd version) then would account for the Aqua beating it handily.  Current version is different and sounds almost identical to May.

He bought it in the past 6 to 8 months I believe. I found it bright sounding and that was with Pass XA-100.5 amps and an Atma-Spere MP-3 preamp, both warmer gear.  Speakers are Revel Studio 2 speakers.  The La Scala is very analog sounding, detailed yet smooth at the same time.  And pair it with the Aqua LinQ and it is sublime.

[JMW73]

I happen to prefer the Denafrips (I have the Pontus II) sound in my system.  I feel it takes the digital edge off of my very revealing speakers (Dali Helicon). 

I am intrigued to see what Emotiva does with their new DAC (XDA-3)  that will be on sale soon. I think they said it will be around $699 so more on the budget end, but they are fairly well known for DAC implementation.  Could be interesting.

[mav52]

Bought a SMSL D400ES a couple months back ~$1100 if memory serves, absolutely stunning dac!!! I'm thinking that you would need to spend substantially more to get slightly better performance, uses the brand new state of the art ESS chip which does everything extremely well. They also make one with AK chips called the EX, pick your flavor, I picked the ES because the specs are better and i'm not disappointed at all.

Don

I've seen that one as well.   Can I ask what your other equipment is, amp, pre-amp if any, speakers . Thanks

[I.Greyhound Fan]

One thing to consider is that Bricasti and PS Audio are made in the USA so if there is a problem, fixing them are easy.  Also, Aqua DAC's are modular so if something goes wrong, they can send you a new board and you can easily swap it out.

[2bigears]

  lotta good info here, thanks all very much.  The Aqua is large $$ is it not ?  Mod construction is so good. Everything should be built in that fashion.  I have a guy in Canada with a Terminator 2 .  Would this be ok ?
         I have an old Mac mini with the Tranquility special and cable dac. VAC pre and Pass x250 driving ProAc D48's.  I have Spatial Sapphires in boxes waiting.  My TT is a P9 Rega. XX2 cart.
                So many choices these days. 

[HAL]

I will go to the other end of the price side.

The new Topping E70 Velvet with the AKM AK4499 DAC is one of the best sounding DAC's I have ever heard.  They are $450 and have balanced output stages that sounds significantly better than the single ended output.  Does everything to DSD512 via USB Asynchronous interface.  The DAC has a balanced digital attenuator using the R2R Ladder DAC stage that sounds better than my analog attenuator in my headphone amps.  The specs for the DAC are one of the best in the world and it sounds like it.

The members of the local DIY community bought them after I did and built a tube interface to go differential to their single ended system inputs.  Now they are happy as well.

It also has selectable filters with both linear phase, minimum phase and apodising capabilities that are selectable.  The minimum phase filter sounds significantly better than the linear phase filters. 

Good luck with your search.

[Tyson]

I'd recommend a used iFi iDSD Pro, they sound great and were built from the ground up to use tubes optimally in their output stage.  After trying a bunch of DACs over the years, I've come to the conclusion that I will never own a DAC that doesn't have tubes. 

[maty]

[ DAC has a balanced digital attenuator using the R2R Ladder DAC stage that sounds better than my analog attenuator ]

E70 VELVET, Topping's Most Musical DAC To Date
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbi4Nu2XP8o