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Time to upgrade DACs

I am currently running a Marantz HD DAC-1 with a Bluesound Node 2i. With a $2,500 budget, I can't decide between the Benchmark DAC3 HGC and the Mytek HiFi Brooklyn DAC+. My streaming service is Qobuz. 

Please help me decide which one to go with and why? Other recommendations will also be appreciated.

My other equipment is YBA Integre DT amp (have 2 for bi-amping), Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home speakers, dual REL T9/i subs, good interconnects, speaker wires, and PCs. The room 15.5' X 20'  (sloped ceiling 8' at speaker end rising to 16') has been well treated with 10 X 4'x8'x4" acoustic panels.

My other quandary is whether or not to sell all off the speakers, ad the $2,500, and buy a new pair of Tekton Design Moabs and keep the Marantz HD DAC-1 for now.

Thanks for your help!

128x128ericnicky
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
547 posts
 
You get a much bigger percentage of change with new speakers than you would a new DAC. 
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
I'm generally not in the speaker-first camp, however, in your case...given the 'provenance' of your Sonus Faber speakers...moving to something like the Tekton Design Moabs that you are considering, is the wiser choice.

Start there, as @jriggy  is correctly pointing out.
soix
8,651 posts
 
First, what type of improvements are you looking for over what you have now, and what sound characteristics of system performance overall are most important to you?  Without that info this is all just a crapshoot. Also, the Sonus GPs are good speakers but radically different in design and sound from the Moab. What has pointed you in that direction?
ericnicky's avatar
ericnicky OP
32 posts
 
I am looking for a bigger-fuller sound with really good imaging. I have heard a lot of good things about the Moabs on this forum and elsewhere, but have not heard them.
So your correct it would be a bit of a crap-shoot... Not sure what to do but got the "upgrade bug".
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