Gustard X30.
Pontus 15.
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!)
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- 74 posts total
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. |
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. |
@devinplombier , I did indeed put a lot of thought into it, thanks. Patience and waiting for a really good deal paid off! Think I will grab a Wiim Ultra. Read good things about them and inexpensive enough. I actually have two turntables and a nice phono preamp. I've got a Denon dp-57l, weighs a ton and has a beautiful rose wood veneer in pristine condition, with a sut as it's a Japanese market version (dp-62l American). Also a while back bought a Fluance RT85N to see what all the hubbub was about. It's a dandy of a tt. Phono pre is a BAT VK-P5. Didn't bring them up as they're of course not relevant to a dac search.
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a quick story - when I was looking to upgrade from my old Bel Canto DAC, I got two DACs for a home audition - Chord Qutest and Mytek Brooklyn II. I chose Qutest. It sounded more natural and had a less forward presentation than the the Brooklyn II. I had two of my audio buddies hear my system with both DACs independently and both picked Qutest as a winner without me telling them what I liked. Doesn’t mean you would like the Qutest but it’s in your price range. |
- 74 posts total