Adding a Dac and Stresmer


Looking for some advice and need you guys to check my thinking…
I have a PrimaLuna Preamp and Amplifier…..need a Dac and streamer….Being I have a preamp to my thinking I don’t need a Dac that has a preamp and volume, am I thinking right? The speakers are Klipsch Heritage so I think I should get a mellow sounding Dac, maybe a Denifrips Pontus with the Auralic Aries G1.1…..would be happy with a $5000 budget…

silverfoxvtx1800

I sorta went down that road at first. Not knowing what I was doing, jumped into the deep end before learning to swim. I have the Uniti Atom the model that takes speakers, I put it on the PrimaLuna EVO 400 amplifier, it’s just ok, also put it on the PrimaLuna PRE and amp, it’s pretty good. I have another place to put the Atom so I am getting something else..I really don’t like having two volume controls…one on Atom and one on the app,sometimes the app volume control didn’t match and it can get loud when you first power it up..the volume control is better with the preamp…anyway it’s going to my wife’s craft room..

Upscales advice is the PrimaLuna EVO 100 Dac and the Cambridge Streaming unit…I am undecided on that route, I even know where I can get that Dac it’s a store demo at a dealer for $800 of the list price..one thing I know I going to up my budget to $7 or 8…which is fine if I can figure this out without making a mistake…another deal is the Klipsch Forte IVs, The Atom sounds a little bright with it, they are very detailed and can get bright with the wrong set up…get it right and it’s heaven…

I have a good friend who has a Metrum Acoustics Pavane and Metrum Ambre streamer..I am thinking about…

Everyone is giving awesome ideas…

@silverfoxvtx1800  Airplay means you are pushing that signal into your system.

With a dedicated streamer and DAC or a streamer/DAC you will use yr. Phone or IPad to have the streamer put out a far better sound

Sgreg1,

I agree that the Gustard R26 is a very good DAC that should be in the conversation when looking at R2R DACs, but don’t agree with the blanket statement “almost all preferred the Gustard” over Denafrips. Which Denafrips DAC are we talking about? Did they do a side by side comparison in their system?

There are four recommendations for the Denafrips Pontus II just in this thread.

For R2R DACs In addition to the Gustard R26 I would recommend considering Holo Audio Spring III and May DACs, Musician Aquarius, and Denafrips Pontus II and Terminator series…..all of which I’ve demo’d in my system. I can’t recommend more than that, as I haven’t done a head to head comparison.

Happy listening!

 

Pontus is great sounding DAC with lots of flexibility and potential. For streamer I would suggest to look towards units with separate linear power supply. I think your price range will allow it. 

I did up my price range to 7000 to 8000, I am thinking maybe the Auralic Aries G1.1….some where in that range…