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Six DAC Comparison

I am in the middle of comparing the sound of six different DACs in my system. I own them all (I know weird) but one of them is still within a trial/return timeframe.

Not to share specific comparisons today, but a couple of observations so far are that first, they all definitely sound different from each other. On one hand, they all sound pretty good and play what is fed to them without significant flaws but on the other hand there are definite sonic differences that make it easy to understand how a person might like the sound of some of them while not liking others.

Second, raises the observation that most of them must be doing something to shape the sound in the manner the designer intended since one of the DACs, a Benchmark DAC3 HGA, was described by John Atkinson of Stereophile as providing "state-of-the-art measured performance." In the review, JA closed the measurements section by writing, "All I can say is "Wow!" I have also owned the Tambaqui (not in my current comparison), which also measured well ("The Mola Mola Tambaqui offers state-of-the-digital-art measured performance." - JA). The Benchmark reminds me sonically of the Tambaqui, both of which are excellent sounding DACs.

My point is that if the Benchmark is providing "state-of-the-art measured performance," then one could reasonably presume that the other five DACs, which sound different from the Benchmark, do not share similar ’state-of-the-art" measurements and are doing something to subtly or not so subtly alter the sound. Whether a person likes what they hear is a different issue.

mitch2
fuzzbutt17's avatar
fuzzbutt17
97 posts
 

WOW!

Quite an in-depth review from Tim Mitchel. 

Full disclosure...

Just in case any of you are wondering, Tim doesn’t work for Mojo Audio and we don’t give him DACs for free like many of the big companies do with reviewers.

But we do give Tim the same industry accommodation discount we give other reviewers and manufacturers who want to own our products. 

Speaking of other manufacturers who get industry accommodation discounts on our DACs, Volti Audio was given a nice bit of ink in Stereophile for their CAF system which included one of our Mystique Z NC DACs:

Volti Audio’s revised Vittora with WiiM Ultra, Cary SLI-80, Mojo Mystique Z, Triode Wire Labs | Stereophile.com

As for our new Mystique Z Quantum, they will be formally announced and available in January 2026. The MSRP will be $12,999 and if you already have a Mystique Z the upgrade will cost you the same $2,000 difference. 

The Z Q replaces the medical grade AC input filter with three Bybee AC Purifiers: one for line, one for load, and one for ground. 

And the Z Q adds two Bybee Gold Slipstream Purifiers between the single-ended output stage and the RCA jacks. That also puts them between the single-ended output stage and the single-ended to balanced IC chip that creates our balanced outputs. 

My impression of the Quantum upgrade is a bit more transparency, depth, texture, and resolution, combined with a more effortless quality and transient intensity. 

Aside from Tim, we’ll be sending a Z Q to Dick Olsher of TAS and Karl Sigman of Audiophilia who both have been auditioning our Z NC for the past few weeks. 

It will be interesting to read what Tim, Dick, and Karl all have to say about our new Quantum upgrade.

Which leads me to Mojo Audio’s plans for a next gen DAC...

Tim is correct, we’ve stashed away some of the rarest of the rare vintages of the PCM63 DAC chips and we’re planning on a new DAC using those chips. 

We only have enough of those chips for 80 special edition DACs. 

It will be the largest, heaviest, no-compromise DAC we’ve ever designed.

We’re still debating on if we’re going to stick with the Staccato class A discrete solid-state op amps modules we’ve been using or switching to an SET DHT tube output stage with one of the Emission Labs super tubes like their 20B. 

Either way we’ve been working with Khozmo, the passive attenuator guys, and we’ll be including an optional upgrade for an integrated remote controlled Khozmo AMRG or Z-Foil attenuator. 

So if you’re considering our next gen DAC, don’t upgrade your preamp, you won’t need it :^)

 

johnny2bad's avatar
johnny2bad
1 posts
 

Tim is correct, we’ve stashed away some of the rarest of the rare vintages of the PCM63 DAC chips and we’re planning on a new DAC using those chips. 

It's good to see this confirmation of what's been kicking around the rumor mill. On the below quote though, no passive attenuator nor any other type of preamplification is ever going to win over a true preamplifier guy. if you're an R2R fan, IMO you're also a true preamplifier guy. 

So if you’re considering our next gen DAC, don’t upgrade your preamp, you won’t need it :^)

tksteingraber's avatar
tksteingraber
785 posts
 

@mitch2 @fuzzbutt17 Thanks for the great thread, amazingly detailed reviews and updates.  I am really enjoying my Mystique X’25 NC but with all this hype I am getting weak knee’d for a other step up.  Maybe a Z demo or return down the road as the Q’s get the best of folks.  Darn you guys!  Just say no, just say no 🤣.  Ben you make one heck of a nice DAC line.  Many Thanks!

no_regrets
573 posts
 

@mitch2   Thanks for the detailed write-up on the Mystique Z NC yes

Just a fun thought that came to mind.... I think it would be fun for us, at least for those of us who have been following this thread, if you were to make a casual youtube video of both the Mystique Z NC and the Aries Cerat Helene playing the same song or two in your system, so we might be able to have a glimpse of what you are hearing and so that we might be able to have a better idea of how they might compare or differ for that matter smiley

Best wishes,

Don

brbrock's avatar
brbrock
168 posts
 

@mitch2 Thank you Mitch for the review.  I appreciate all the time you have put into  reviewing these DAC's 

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