if you can afford dcs just go for it. there are other good brands(mbs, lampizator,chord) especially in that price range but none has the dcs consistent top position in the audiophile world. it’s always been the safest bet for big money dac’s .make sure to use a proper usb cable. since you are new to this sort of sound, ide try a tube dac like the lampi or add a tube buffer like the ifi itube 2 (350$)after the dac, it softens and opens the sound a bit to take the edge off .i’m using all the help i can in that case: ifi isilencer>ifi mercury cable>ipurifier 3 >idac2>itube buffer +6db>schiit loki eq all wired with cardas rca cables. the best digital sound ive heard is mqa through tidal . dsd is also great but i reckon analog oriented people will prefer mqa. you have a mac system and you ask about esoteric and dcs (which makes sense)and someone suggests topping...so yeah you can also use the current topping flagship with it’s generic ess sabre chip ,usb printer cable and smartphone power supply and play mp3 files if you want to know which sound to avoid. btw does ess stands for extremely sterile and sibilant?
Higher End DACs
I am looking for a DAC (potentially streamer&DAC) to be paired in a mcintosh system (c1100/611). Its my first foray into digital streaming and I have no need for a CD player.
I see a lot of love for Esoteric, however, most seems to be around their transports? Are they not as renowned for pure digital streaming and/or standalone DACs? I see DCS (for instance) often referenced for standalone DACs - how does Esoteric compare?
I see a lot of love for Esoteric, however, most seems to be around their transports? Are they not as renowned for pure digital streaming and/or standalone DACs? I see DCS (for instance) often referenced for standalone DACs - how does Esoteric compare?