$1300-1500 DAC


I’m thinking of adding an external DAC to my secondary system. I’m running a bluesound node 2i, RCA out to a Schiit freya+, RCA out to an Accuphase P-250 (beautifully restored) amp, to a pair of ascend acoustics Sierra 2ex. It already sounds awesome, but y’all know how this is... I want more. 

Im looking at a Schiit Gungnir Multibit... the price is right and it’s well reviewed. 

I will say that, in my main system I use a Simaudio Moon 280d and it’s awesome. 

Any thoughts? What else should I be looking at? 
andrewkelley
I just heard from bluesound support that the node2i will pass whatever signal and bitrate comes to it via tidal or Roon or whatever along to my DAC. The only exception is MQA which will only be 24/96. 
See below: 


Tony W. - Product Support Manager (Bluesound) 

Oct 2, 4:59 PM EDT 

Hi Andrew

When using digital outs on the NODE, with MQA we do have to handle some processing but that is only for MQA. With all other formats, you bypass the onboard DAC altogether. The output will be whatever the original file was encoded at.

I hope that helps explain it,

Tony


Andrew
If Im not mistaken, you have a Sim Audio Streamer and DAC all in one, a Bluesound Node streamer and a Schiit Gungnir DAC, am I correct?

If so, can you stream with the Bluesound to the Sim Audio, using the latter only as a DAC? If you can, that would give you the chance to compare the Sim Audio as a streamer vs the Bluesound and as DAC vs the Gungnir. It would help to look for the weakest link of the chain and to see if the Sim Audio is as good as you think. 

On the other hand, Hans Beekhuyzen has a YouTube channel and he has tried the original SOtM SMS-200, then the Ultra and Ultra Neo versions. He also has reviewed A LOT of others streamers/bridges, to mention a few: the Node, the Auralic aries mini, the Rasberry Pie, etc. 

He answers questions vía YouTube, on the coments side of every video. He is very profesional and I guess you could ask him wich streamer/bridges he recomends considering your budget and needs. 

Dont forget that many of the products we have mentioned here are bridges, meaning you will need a computer to run them. They will send the signal to the DAC, but you have to control them with a computer using Roon, Audinirvana, or another software. 
I insist, get the best combination of digital gear you can pay and forget about sample rates, MQA, etc. At least for at the begining. 

For me the correct gear is MUCH more important. A good digital chain playing PCM 44.1 will sound MUCH better than a mediocre one playing hi-res.

For instance, in my case, replacing the WiFi connection with a 10 bucks Cat8 Ethernet cable plus a 20 bucks used  Cisco Ethernet Switch (a Gigabit one) had more impact in sound than changing sample rates and formats. 
Another vote for the Benchmark Dac3. I might even know of one going up for sale soon.