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$5k-$6K DACs w Roon?

Hi Everyone,
I've been a happy user of a Mytek Brooklyn but now that my room is coming together and my room acoustics are on order I'm thinking of a fancier DAC.  My requirements are relatively simple.  Should have USB but preferably Roon player capabilities.

Brands I have been thinking about:
  • Brekeley (Too cool?, no built in USB)
  • Bricasti (never heard it)
  • Mytek Manhattan II (discontinued?)
  • exaSound
Brands I just don't like:  PS, Chord, Benchmark.  No particular reasons to dislike them, just not interested in shopping that way.

Thoughts?
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
15,663 posts
 
Sounds like you want to use USB, if so, you're compromised at the start


Then we agree you can't help me. :)
erik_squires OP
15,663 posts
 
Why spend that much? Get a Soekris for $899. Quite advanced circuit design!


Well since I am starting from a Mytek Brooklyn, I’m only really interested in getting significantly better. I’ve not heard a Soekris, but I have heard the DACs I listed (except perhaps the Manhattan)

I really liked the Berkeley Alpha I heard at Magico. Liquid but cool. Hard to tell if I was hearing the DAC or ths spepakers or CAT gear.  It's limited inputs ( no USB, no network) make it a tough sell for me over the Bricasti, but I haven't heard the Bricasti in like, forever.
morningstaraudio's avatar
morningstaraudio
154 posts
 
Soekris 2541 Dac.
wjob
60 posts
 
I have the Bricasti M3 with the network card. Excellent DAC. It works well with ROON. For a while there was some concern about ROON and certification - ROON has been slow updating certifications. All fixed now.

I bought the Bricasti as there is an upgrade path - there is already 1 MDX card upgrade and Bricasti has made upgrades to the longer running M1 DAC to stay competitive with the latest technology.

I emailed Bricasti about the delay to certification and Brian (CEO) followed up with me personally. Good customer service. Easy to recommend this company.
hgeifman
2,110 posts
 
@erik_squires, I purchased the Bricasti M21 DAC and it is truly excellent.  I use the laddered DAC option and use an AES/EBU cable from my Aurender N20 Music Server to the DAC.   I am very satisfied with the sound quality of this system and so are my friends that have heard it.  I also installed the Bricasti MDx digital in the M21 DAC and the sound quality improved.   The MDx board is an outstanding upgrade and is highly recommended.   The Bricasti M21 DAC is highly recommended.  AND PLEASE KEEP READING.
     

After several phone calls with my retailer, and Bricasti, I ALSO PURCHASED the Bricati M3 DAC in January 2020.  It took some time for the M3 to break in BUT it was light years BETTER THAN my previous Ayre Codex DAC.   Please NOTE this is a 2-channel home theatre and my LG OLED TV connects to the M3 DAC and then balanced cables to my SimAudio integrated amp.   I like this system very much and highly recommend you consider the Bricasti M3 DAC.  The addition of the Bricasti M3 DAC “substantially improved” the sound quality of this system.  

As was noted above, Bricasti Customer Support is excellent.   I have both talked to them on the phone and also using email.   Bricasti DACs are highly recommended.

if you have budget is around $5,000 and you are looking for a very good sounding DAC, I strongly recommend the Bricasti M3 DAC. The M3 “offers an incredible array of performance in a more affordable price class. It includes two fully differential conversion channels, separate conversion for PCM and native DSD, and a balanced analog level control circuit, making the M3 suitable for all applications”.

I also looked at the MSB Discrete DAC but everything thing was an extra cost option (USB, AES/EBU, power supply, etc.,).  The dCS Bartok was also interesting but, based on my research, I kept coming back to Bricasti.  The Chord DAVE was on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very pushy and not helpful).  I hope this helps.  

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