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Looking for recommendations for a 'warm' sounding DAC

Would anyone know of a warm sounding DAC, budget to £2500/$3000 new or used. My ears don’t like a crisp and clinical sound, I find that Chord/dcs/Topping sound painful if loud. I know many love those crisp leading edges that these deliver but that sound does not synergise with my amp/speakers nor my sensitive ears. I know the easiest way to achieve this would be to switch speakers to a mellow speaker but this option is not available.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
128x128duckworp
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mlapenta
103 posts
 
I thought my chord qutest is warm and want to hear the tube prima luna as i have their amp and love it.  
timo62
279 posts
 

I would recommend checking out The Chord Qutest also, along with the Chord M Scaler.

Audio Note DACs would be another suggestion to try.

pkvintage's avatar
pkvintage
199 posts
 
Hi Charles
"Your ears regognise it"  I never thought of it that way but that is exactly what is happening. That's a very good way to describe it. As a result of buying the AN 3.1 I ended up buying an M6 phono, a set of P4 mono blocks and a second An system based on an M2 phono. For me I would say that was deffinity a game changer. I use Tannoy MG's. I will eventually end up with a set of AN E's
thecrow97
1 posts
 
I only have a setup for my headphones (higher tier) and i love my metrum nos hex dac

great separation, natural/analogue sound. 

This dac will never be sold by myself

This has been discontinued in recent years. 
The pavane is one of the older higher tier that offers more - i have not heard it though. I also have not heard any of their latests dacs so I can’t help there either
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