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Looking for recommendations for a 'warm' sounding DAC

Would anyone know of a warm sounding DAC, budget to £2500/$3000 new or used. My ears don’t like a crisp and clinical sound, I find that Chord/dcs/Topping sound painful if loud. I know many love those crisp leading edges that these deliver but that sound does not synergise with my amp/speakers nor my sensitive ears. I know the easiest way to achieve this would be to switch speakers to a mellow speaker but this option is not available.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
128x128duckworp
jrwaudio
331 posts
 
Not mentioned too often, but my Exogal Comet Dac really helped cure of my listening fatigue with my current audio system. Very high engineering pedigree involved with this company
and its products.
scothurwitz
113 posts
 
Duckworp,

I agree, I just got rid of a Chord Hugo TT2 which was not cheap. It was not only bright but also  "paper thin", almost too much resolution but no warmth whatsoever. It sounds like you would appreciate an nos dac. nos stands for no oversampling. There are many companies out there that offer nos dac's and I find them to be much smoother and warmer and much more 3d sounding. To my ears they sound more like a good turntable (if you get a good one) than your typical digital dac which usually sound bright and paper thin. Some of the companies that sell nos dac's are Audio Note (UK), Denafrips, SW1X Audio, Border Patrol (which is supposed to be one of the better sounding dacs at a very affordable price), I would recommend the Border Patrol or the Audio Note nos dacs.  If you google nos dacs you will see at least 15 different name brands. I think you'll really like them. Good luck.

grahamb44
mesch
3,391 posts
 
Check out the Audio Mirror thread.
papafrgog
101 posts
 
I wanted that same "non-clinical" sound and found it with my Aesthetix Romulus (it's the DAC+CD model). I bought a Signature version and after about a year, decided to roll the stock (ElectroHarmonix) tubes. Now with Amperex BB 12AX7's and Telefunken 7308's (replacing the 6922's) and upgrading the Sig to Eclipse, I have (for my ears) a very detailed, but airy ("non-grating") high-end. I recommend you take a serious look/listen at the Romulus (or DAC-only Pandora) and as with any tube gear, fine tune the sound to your ears with the tubes  
8th-note
341 posts
 
@gadios  

Very interesting DAC test. No testing methodology is perfect but that is a very credible comparison - especially considering that the votes were closer on the finalists.

Is there a list available of how all the DACs ranked? I would be curious which PS Audio model you tested and how it performed.
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