2. digital
  3. 164674-78654

Looking for a tube (or tube sounding) DAC

I’m selling my Shiit Yggy and want to purchase a tube DAC as a compliment to my Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated amp. My budget is up to $6,000. I have a small assortment of music on a hard drive, do not have analog gear, no headphones, and listen almost exclusively to Qobuz through Roon. My list of DACs to consider so far are:
  • Lampizator Baltic 3 $5,900
  • Holo Audio May Level 3 $5,000 (not tube)
  • Tubadore III with all additions $2,300ish
  • Primaluna EVO 100 $3,000

Others I thought of, but are not tube are:
  • PS Audio Perfect Wave with network card
  • Mytek Manhattan II with network card

I live in a small town in OR and it’s four hours to Portland. I would love to hear suggestions from all of you. I’m looking for a nice step up from the Yggy. If you’re interested in my Yggy, it will be on Agon next weekend.

My gear:
  • Roon Rock via an Intel NUC that I built.
  • Ethernet connection to a separate switch, then fiber optics to an EtherREEN.
  • Bryston BDP-1 music server (might sell this too)
  • MiniDSP SHD for Dirac room correction
  • New DAC
  • Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated
  • Martin Logan Summit X speakers
  • Cables and interconnects are Acoustic Zen and Kimber.

Thanks, everyone!

Steve
smills59
chorus
976 posts
 
Steve,

Some DAC makers give a 2 week trial. Not the Chinese.
But their DACs resell in seconds so you can have some fun.

Your list is pretty good. 
Possible List additions:

-Doge 7 $2.3
-Audio Note 4.1X-$3.0 but a kit. 
-Denafrips Venus $3.8

I recently bought the Audio Mirror Tubadour 3 and like it
a lot. Tried a Denafrips Ares 2 first and sold it. I like the
AM sound over the highly defined Denafrips sound.
Very personal as both are very good. I require no sharpness
on the top. 

Some great Portland retailers. Do any stock some of DACs?


smills59 OP
54 posts
 
Thanks everybody! I decided to order the Holo Audio Mat Dac. I'll let you know how it sounds in my system. 

I appreciate your advice!

Steve
hudsonhawk
137 posts
 
-Doge 7 $2.3
While I can’t compare it to any of the other DACs in the thread, I own the Doge and it’s a great value for the money. And if you’re judging a DAC’s tube-iness by its number of tubes, I suspect the Doge’s eight tubes when running balanced outnumbers any of the other DACs’ tubes.
snackeyp's avatar
snackeyp
455 posts
 
@smills59 Great choice in the May DAC.  I think you will love it.  It will sound its best after a few hundred hours of play.  There is a dedicated thread for the May DAC, so please contribute your honest findings once you get it set up.  
Happy listening,
Peter

More to discover