Some more options:
- PS Audio PWD
- Esoteric D70 (older, but among the very best you could buy at any price around 2004)
- Wadia 27 or 27ix (same as with the D70)
- Audio Aero Prima
- Weiss Minerva and DAC2
- Berkeley Alpha
- Tact 2.2XP (and you get room correction to boot)
- Theta Gen.VIII (too bad I cannot audition this one)
- McIntosh MDA1000 (in my view too expensive for what you get, but then there are audiophiles paying those prices so there might be something)
I put together this list from reading reviews and a lot in A'gon and AAsylum, then decided to get a preamp instead of a DAC with volume control so can't say much about the sound of these. I couldn't help but wonder if the Bel canto DAC3 (a great unit of today) could outclass a D70 or Wadia 271x (best money could buy 6 years ago). I'll let you decide!! :)
- PS Audio PWD
- Esoteric D70 (older, but among the very best you could buy at any price around 2004)
- Wadia 27 or 27ix (same as with the D70)
- Audio Aero Prima
- Weiss Minerva and DAC2
- Berkeley Alpha
- Tact 2.2XP (and you get room correction to boot)
- Theta Gen.VIII (too bad I cannot audition this one)
- McIntosh MDA1000 (in my view too expensive for what you get, but then there are audiophiles paying those prices so there might be something)
I put together this list from reading reviews and a lot in A'gon and AAsylum, then decided to get a preamp instead of a DAC with volume control so can't say much about the sound of these. I couldn't help but wonder if the Bel canto DAC3 (a great unit of today) could outclass a D70 or Wadia 271x (best money could buy 6 years ago). I'll let you decide!! :)