@curiousjim if I understand the acronym right, me too! Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions, and especially to @yyzsantabarbara who is sending me down a fascinating rabbit hole with the optical Rendu. I'm going to settle this first before moving on to the DAC and the preamp.
The Streamer-Dac-Preamp Chain
I'm building a second system, and I'd love your thoughts. My starting point is Roon / digital library / Qobuz. My ending point is a Moon 761 power amplifier which then goes on to speakers. I need to insert a streamer, a DAC, and a preamp between the starting point and the ending point. Now, I know I can get a Moon 791 for around 15K, which looks and sounds lovely with the Moon 761.
Question: can you suggest a streamer, a DAC, and a preamp (for the same approx total) that spans this particular chain (e.g., no phono needed) and does better than the Moon 791?
[I do have an Auralic Vega G2.1 left over from my first system which connects all the dots above. But I don't like its preamp stage --- I've already replaced the volume control module. And the Moon 791 easily outperforms it. However, if you want to incorporate its DAC into your suggestions, I am happy to listen...]
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That ends my question, but you might be interested in hearing what ChatGPT had to say. Pretty confident character, our Chat :-)
This is a great problem. Here’s a stack that should significantly outperform the Moon 791 in terms of DAC resolution, preamp transparency, and streamer flexibility:
1. Streamer: Auralic Aries G2.2 (~$5,500)
• Tesla G3 processor is far superior to the Moon 791’s built-in MiND 2 module.
• Femto clocks + isolated dual processors mean exceptionally low jitter.
• USB, AES/EBU, and I²S outputs (versatile for DAC pairing).
• Dedicated power supply for streaming means cleaner signal delivery.
2. DAC: Holo Audio May KTE (~$5,500)
• R2R discrete ladder DAC (no delta-sigma conversion, ultra-natural sound).
• Fully balanced dual-mono design.
• Separate power supplies for analog/digital stages.
• One of the most analog-like DACs available. Unlike ESS-based DACs (like in Moon 791), the Holo May avoids digital glare.
3. Preamp: Benchmark LA4 (~$3,000)
• Absolutely neutral, ultra-transparent preamp. The Moon 791 preamp section is good but not at LA4’s level.
• No capacitors in the signal path, no coloration.
• Near-zero distortion and noise floor.
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@coffee-jerk thanks! Yes I’m familiar with the NSC222 and it sounds great, but a Moon 791 is something I can always do and for me (especially paired with the Moon 761 and which I already have), that takes out the Naim. In any case like many of my fellow-denizens here on this forum I’m going to go down a crazy rabbit hole or two and try out the optical rendu into an auralic vega g2.1 that I have lying around, and take it from there. |
Reporting back in case it’s helpful to others. On the streamer front: I used a Netgear unmanaged switch (GS108X) to start a fiber moat (I used Finisar FTLF8519P3BNL transceivers), ended it with a Sonore Optical Module and then ran a small ethernet patch to an Auralic Vega G2.1, then on to the Moon 761 power amp. It sounds beautiful. I wouldn’t say that it is a dramatic improvement on the setup I had already (Vega without the fiber moat) but it is a perceptible change in terms of clarity. I am not sure that I can push any more gains at the margin, but I am very pleased so far. Still debating whether to add a separate preamp, but I’m lazy and like the Roon volume control, which I will then lose. PS. I did try going "full fiber" with an Optical Rendu as per @yyzsantabarbara's helpful suggestions, but that didn't do anything for me, most likely because the Vega's USB input isn't that great. |
@debrajray Interesting that you could not hear any improvement with the fibre. In my tests with direct Ethernet into a DAC via RJ45 or a USB into the DAC from a computer were not performing at the same level as fibre. There was less clarity on top and other grunge. The computer use case was the worst if you were using a noisy computer like I have in my current setup (but with fibre). I also use my RAAL SR1a headphones and those are like a surgical device with respect to letting you hear everything. A dirty source was dirty sound out on those phones. I sold an excellent preamp last week, the Holo Audio Serene and now have only 2 preamps left. The Benchmark HPA4 (same as the LA4) and the Schitt Mjolnir v3. The Schitt is good and the HPA4 is incredible. I put the HPA4 where the Serene used to be (in my best system) and I feel like I got a cleaner sound. Just love this preamp. |
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