Back to the DAC

The Laiv Harmony discussed earlier looks interesting but I would personally hold off until the brand is more established. If they really go the way of Denafrips then it will be a safe bet down the road. 

Look back at the Fore Audio Daisy which 6moons raved about. Seemed like a killer device made by an ambitious team with lots of experience and big ideas for the future. Where are they now? Gone. Same with the Calyx Femto DAC which was big a while ago... Calyx still churns out an occasional budget device but has no website and is basically ghost at this point. I am similarly suspicious about DiDiT High-End which received good reviews at 6moons and elsewhere for their DAC212 models, but appear to be going the way of Exogal where they never get past the initial product and eventual close up shop.

My point here is that all of these were "good" DACs but if the company folds in a couple years, there is no support and very little resale value. I find that unacceptable when there are so so many great DACs from other brands out there which won't have the same problem.

If you can stretch your budget a little you can get a new MSB Discrete w/ 1 PS for around $12K. You can add a second new PS later on for $1,495, or, pick up a used PS for about $500 (hard to find though). Pure DAC, no renderer & passive volume control only.

Rarely shows up on used market.

As been said, imo, once you get up,in the high-end dac, preference is at play. I settled on the Holo May KTE. I like a warm rich sound. The may with my pass intergated and Aurender n20 gives me just that. I’ve purchased all the Eversolo models including A8, and ro my ears in my system they are glorified junk.

The Ferrum Wandla DAC here seems to be a sonic bargain. The Lampi Baltic4 and T+A 200 also sonically punches above their price points.

Best DAC I’ve heard is the Denafrips Terminator Plus 12th, and I am a Denafrips Pontus II owner. My short list when I do upgrade: T+A 200, Denafrips Terminator Plus, and whatever Lampizator I can afford