Playback Designs MPD6 or Bricasti M21?

To the OP - it's not difficult to home demo these (somewhat harder for the Playback)...why not do that? In typical Audiogon fashion, it seems that half these responses are from folks that don't have direct experience, and the other half is from folks who only have experience with one, in a system v diff from yours.

If you're already inclined towards the Bricasti amps, I'd be inclined towards the Bricasti dac as well.

I can tell you, from direct experience, that there is no contest between the stand-alone Bricasti streamer and the current Playback Designs MPS-X (a D to D converter and streamer). The MPS-X is significantly more expensive...and significantly better.

Someone tried to extrapolate what the Playback dac sounds like based on a old-generation Playback digital streamer. That's a weird way to think about things. It's not hard to find good digital design. Digital has been very good for a while. What's hard is to find excellent analog output stages. We're talking about digital...to analog...converters.

When dcs came out with the "Apex" upgrades, the digital didn't change much. It was really about upgrading their previously lackluster analog output stages.

I'm getting distracted from the point...which is just listen for yourself.

I totally agree with @metaldetektor that listening yourself is the best way to decide on component #1 or #2.  Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it is not.  Audiogon Forum posts and answers are interesting but necessary the answer.  As many people before have said, you have to listen to the equipment yourself and in your listing room to make the right decision.  

Thank you all for your posts and suggestions.  I've been posting for more than 20 years and I will say I am always intrigued with responses to go "listen for myself".  I think that defeats the purpose of these forums.  If we all had the time, the money, the patience to buy it all and demo it all we can simply delete these forums.  That's not the point of these forums is to be advised to get them and demo them.  Just my humble opinion. 

With that said,  I do appreciate the time people have taken to respond.  Just looking for feedback on who has heard them and the results of using them.  Not advice to go hear them.

@acurus, okay, I understand.  I own the Bricasti M21 DAC very much.  It substantially improved the sound quality in my system and I strongly recommend it.  Their customer support is great and I encourage you to call them to get more info on the M21 DAC AND your questions answered.  

Couple notes as a dealer of both brands - the M21 "Network Card" can be used as a streamer the same way as the PBD Stream X module can.  StreamX is a $3K option on the MPD-6.  Both can leverage MConnect and JPlay to work as a streamer or serve as Roon or UPnP endpoints.  The person above asking if they needed something else if they have a Roon Nucleus on network, no.  This will serve as a Roon endpoint and nothing else would be required.  

The MPS-X with a separate server is superior to the StreamX module but StreamX is a very good place to start.  

Both units are very well manufactured.  Bricasti is built like a tank, no question but when you pick up a PBD DAC it is obvious how well it is made.  Both made in the US, just on opposite coasts.

The major difference is going to be in the image and a few features.  The MPD-6 and M21 tonally are quite similar but the image is different.  The MPD-6 is a smidge more detailed with a large soundstage that is tall and wide and has excellent depth and good stability.  The Bricasti delta sigma DAC probably has a larger image in terms of height and width but I don't believe it is as detailed and I don't think has the absolute depth of the PBD.  The R2R is nice and a different flavor altogether.  

Both are upgradable.  The firmware on both can be refreshed introducing new features.  The modular nature of the Bricasti also makes longer term hardware upgrades possible.  Both have amazing customer service and relatively few issues.  

Bricasti's Amps and Preamps are absolutely superb and obviously, the M21 will match aesthetically.  The M21 has a bunch of filters to fine-tune the sound. And obviously it has R2R, 1Bit DSD and the Delta Sigma DAC meaning you have more options.  Playback has no filters.  You like it as is or you do not.  Fortunately, Andreas knows what most people like and the MPD-6 is very appealing to many.