Musical Fidelity Tri-vista 21 DAC

I think this is an excellent DAC. I auditioned it against some well regarded and somewhat similarly priced units (another DAC and some one-box players, including the Arcam FMJ33). I think MSRP is $2400. Anyway, the Tri-Vista was my favorite of the bunch. Less forward than the Arcam but with good detail, and far better soundstaging and natural flow. I agree that it has an "organic" sort of quality, while still being very clean and not rolled off. I would say that it has a "middle of the concert hall" perspective and is very musical. I agree with the prior poster that the Tri-Vista is really easy to listen to. And hey, even mentioning it in the same breath as the dcs is a pretty strong compliment. I should also say that I was not using a particularly strong transport, so I don't know that I heard it at its best. If you need a DAC I'd definitely check it out.

It is, however, a "discontinued" model because it is one of Musical Fidelity's ongoing series of "limited editions" - in other words, it was never intended to be an ongoing production piece. IMO, this is a rather annoying practice that this manufacturer overindulges in. These guys seem to have an obsessive need to change model lines about every ten minutes. It's a sweet DAC though...

Panderso is right. The DAC performance is heavily dependent on the transport. With a friend of mine we played a bit with the Trivista dac. The system was: Krell kpsc-28, siltech classic qs-110 ic, krell kav-280pre, siltech classic qs-110 ic Krell kav 2550, siltech ls classic 110 (?), Sonus Faber Cremona (plus siltech powercords). Putting into the system the Trivista DAc connected to a MF 3.2 cd player as a transport, you get the typical bad cheapo MF sound of the E-series: rolled off highs, muddy bass, slow creamy sound - some like this sound, but compared to the Krell kpsc-28 it was really very bad. It was so disapponting that after a few minutes we stopped it. Than we changed the MF 3.2 to Orelle 2500 (that UFO-style transport). We got a clean crisp, transparent, quick and punctial sound, comparable to the kpsc-28. The Orelle-MF pair was a bit warmer, and richer midrange, the krell seemed to have more quicker transient responses and better micro-dynamic. But whether one liked this or that sound was really taste issue, but not difference in resolution. So, dont buy it without adressing your transport and hearing it in your system.

Sorry. orelle is oracle 2500.

I've only had mine several days, though broken in. At first I had reservations, but I now am almost stunned at the realness of the sound. Images are incredible:: there is a 3D but perfectly clear, defined, round. With a you-are-there sort of recreation of the physical space in a manner I have never heard before.

It should be understood, however, that I have no experience with any of the costly DACs, not even the Levinsons.

It may not be perfect, but it will take me more listening to know. Irregardless, I consider this an exceptional piece, and until something else is found better, it stays.

Some further thoughts. You guys saying it sounded 'organic' are correct. It has a wholeness, a correctness, and a minor richness that just really sound right and sound like the real thing. I'm excited. (Remember SNL's Chris Farley as Lauri Davis? "It's exciting!"

Tubes. The trivistors probably have something to do with this. They probably deliver a good portion of the positive qualities of tubes, and an absence of the negative ones. I never thought I would praise Musical Fidelity, but Antony Michaelson is obviously much more than just a good salesman peddling attractive products if this DAC is representative of what he does.