A new dac?


Guys, help me out here.

My dac which I've been using for a number of years now is a Mytek Stereo192 DSD.

Came out in 2013, I think and was $1600 retail.

Still think it sounds good, but I've nothing to compare it to.

My question: If you are familiar with this dac or similar, what would I have to spend minimum to better it, and what do you think​​ will better it?

I enthusiastically await the responses of the cognoscenti. (Wanted to use that word in a sentence since I read it in Calvin and Hobbes!)

 

thecarpathian

@thecarpathian budget under $1000 for streamer Bluesound. Or WiiM Ultra. My recommendation would be get the dac first the add a streamer. It’s best to audition these components in your system for at least 2-3 days to get a good feel. Don’t switch back and forth fir a quick A/B. 

Go to Denafrips  excellent new R2R technologies  the Venus Gen15 

if not the pontus 15 

deep_333

2,070 posts

 

@audphile1 , If i put a few dacs at various price brackets behind a curtain, started flipping that A/B/C/D switch,,,,,whatever you can pick out as an "improvement" or not would be very "hit or miss" and pulling teeth, i bet.
 

That isn’t how you compare components - flipping ABCD switch. That’s one. Two - in my system I can tell you what’s an improvement and what isn’t if I lived with each DAC for a minimum of 2-3 days. So if I had to compare 4 DACs it would take me about two weeks provided these DACs are more similar than different. If you want me to compare a $320 DAC to my Meitner it would take me 30 seconds. At most. 
 

@thecarpathian 

I don't know, your current system looks like it was put together with care, and a lot of thought was given to component selection and the end sound produced.

Given a $10,000 budget, you could (probably) significantly improve upon it. With $1,000, you can't realistically hope for anything better than a lateral move.

Streamers are the one major component with the least bearing on the end sound. Why not get a Wiim Ultra; it's cheap enough that when you upgrade you can move it to your kitchen system.

If I were in your situation, I would keep my current system, and I would spend my $1,000 on a Wiim and a nice used turntable and cart. Something fun! A new $1,000 DAC doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun.