Looking for a DAC < $1500

What about Lampizator Level 4 or higher?  They will certainly remove the glare you speak of.  Organic lifelike sound, solid from top to bottom.  Best digital I've heard so far.  

" If your money, which would you pick."

I would definately go with the dac that sounds the best. 

Ayre Codex @ $1800.

I would be looking at one of Schiit's multibit DACs. The Gungnir and Yggdrasil have both RCA and BNC connections and a simple BNC to RCA adaptor would do the trick. I have the Bifrost Multibit and have never heard even a drop of digital glare through it. Good Schiit.

Hadn't considered using a BNC -> RCA adaptor but that opens up another batch of possibilities. Don't see the BNC on the Bifrost but Gungnir has one. These DACs with BNC input, are they male or female? Can't tell from pictures. Thanks for all the suggestions.

kalali inputs, and outputs, are always female the plugs on the cable are male.

@kalali, I didn’t mean to suggest the Bifrost has a BNC connector (it doesn’t), I threw it in there only to comment on it’s sound quality. Best of luck with your search and please let us know which you decide on.

Check out the Schiit Gungnir Multibit dac loads of smart proprietary technology 
And is modular ,most dacs are Not .when a upgrade is available such as the Multibit upgrade you send in when your number in the Q is called ,they swap out 
A upgraded circuit board and good to go only $1250,upgrade wasv $499. And  upgradable when next 
Upgrade is available.  P.s if you can go a bit more the flagship Yggdrasil is Around  $2300  all have excellent reviews .

I believe the Ayre does not have a coax input.

N

There is a Bel Canto 3 for sale here on AG. $695. If I was in need for a DAC I would consider this one. 

I can make something for you that will sound much better for $1500 and I can configure it anyway you want.  If you don't like it, send it back to me.

Contact me if you are interested.  Happy Listening.

Mytek Brooklyn - Outstanding DAC

https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/

Inputs include:

2 x coaxial
USB 2.0
AES
optical
phonograph (configurable phono or line level)

I believe there is a dealer at Agon who offers 30 day trials or something like that. The Manhattan, a step up, had 3 coaxial inputs, and optional Roon or Phonograph input.

If you're interested in the Bryston BDA2, I will sell you mine for $1400. It is still in warranty. Black, 8/10 condition. I bought a Luxman DA6. 

+1 for Mytek.  I have the Manhattan and it is a great sounding piece with super cosmetics.  Analog pre-amp is very good as well.

If you need 2 coax inputs look at a Wadia di122.  It has 2 coax, 2 Toslink and 1 usb. ($1500). Its similar to the Ayre in that its just in another league than most of the others. This will be a stunning improvement over what you have now. 

Consider selling the 2 units, half your cables and getting an OPPO BD 105 or 105D. Like a Swiss army knife of digital and video. All sorts of inputs and outputs. You can play just about any streaming format, digital download with a thumb drive or a hard drive sorry music server, DLNA, wired and wireless E'net, optical, USB out and in, HDMI in and out, true balanced and single ended analog outputs, digital volume control straight to a power amp if you wish, multichannel single-ended analog out, plays all silver disks to boot. Wonderful sound. No you don't need to mod it or tube it. Will decode DSD in pure DSD or convert to PCM. Just let it break in. Listen to the music. I run it between my reference system and my home theatre. Go pure audio for music. Download the owner's manual and you'll see what I mean. If I were mercenary I would offer to sell you my demo unit so I could flip it for a new one.

Please see the Audio Alchemy DDP-1 Preamp/DAC/Headphone Amp.  Its digital inputs are AES/EBU, 2 RCA coaxial, 2 Toslink optical, I2S, aux USB for firmware updates.

http://www.audioalchemy.com/products/ddp-1-1

It has 2 RCA coaxial inputs.

I have to vote with the Schiit crowd.  I purchased the Gumby Multibit and it completely changed my mind about the drawbacks of digital.  Playing a Mac charger Miles Davis cd versus the same on SACD through an Exemplar modified Oppo sacd, I now wish I hadn't wasted the money on sacds.  Only wish I had gone all out for the Yggy.

Another Schiit Gungnir Multibit owner/lover here. 

Feed it from a microRendu and you'll really be shocked at how good a digital rig under $2000 can sound. Cheers,
Spencer

Great you have a DAC to use while in the hunt. Many great older DACs come up for sale used. The field opens up when asynchronous USB is not a requirement.

Agree with ivanj on 12-23.   I've had a new Oppo 105 for four months, and it's level of performance (for $500) is unheard of - bests my old Cambridge Audio 840C in many ways, including glare.   Oppo uses the well reviewed ESS Sabre ES9018 converter, around since 2012.  The Absolute Sound 12/14 review of the Oppo 105 states that the engineer modifying the unit "could not improve on the clock or the DAC" so he left them alone.  For home audio, I just can't justify going with an outboard DAC now.   But, I'd love to hear from any fanatic out there that has done A/B comparisons to the Oppo 105, using newer DAC/chip designs.

If you can't tell male from female you have a problem but don't feel bad. My mother wanted a male puppy but got a female by mistake. My father told her that after 10 children she should have been able to tell the difference!

These names are too much. Norse Mythology? Random letters?

" But, I'd love to hear from any fanatic out there that has done A/B comparisons to the Oppo 105, using newer DAC/chip designs."

I've compared the Oppo to other products. Its an OK starter component, but you can only do so much at that price point. Also, if you're not using it for video, a good portion of the cost goes into stuff you don't need. 

As far as comparing the dac chips, its extremely difficult to isolate just one small part of the player. More importantly, you're focusing on small things while ignoring the big ones. Have you considered anything involving the analog portion of the dac? It accounts for at least 50% of the sound you hear, and it usually makes a much bigger difference than the chip. I compared the Oppo to CD players that were 15-20 years old. Those players may not have a modern dac chip, but they do have exceptional analog stages. On Redbook CD, they made the Oppo sound defective. 

Do a search for chip vs R2R.  See what you find.  mb1audi02 is on to something but the power supply is what can make a huge difference in any component.  I build a DAC that has a bigger and better power supply that most amps do.  It depends on the design and how it is implemented though.

kalali the glare is the component that cannot process the digital signal very well.  When you are ready for something different let me know.  I will send you something to change your world.  Happy Listening.

Currently doing a shootout on three DACs the Bryston bda-2 the Schiit Yggdrasil and the McIntosh D100... All the Dacs are loaned and broke in.  Started comparing last Thursday so far the Bryston is more detailed with tighter more defined bass the Yggdrasil is a close second the bass is bloated and blubbering mids and highs are great!! The McIntosh not as good mids or highs as the other two and the bottom end is better than the Yggdrasil but not as good as the Bryston.. The McIntosh seems to be on par with the emotiva DC1 that I am replacing.. Right know the Bryston seems to be ahead we will see what the week brings! Source is Bryston BDP-Pi and a laptop with Jriver and a oppo 103 used as transport 

Which input are you using on the Yggy?

Going between USB and coax both cables are AQ coffee level cables

Supposedly,the Yggdrasil sounds best with AES input and balanced output.

Hmm using balance out but no option for AES input?

Too many to list but I find the Cary Audio 200TS exceeds the sound quality of the Luxman DA-06.  

Hmm using balance out but no option for AES input?

I'm not sure that I'm following your post.  The Yggy has both.