+1 for the M3. I love mine. Huge soundstage, very musical.
Another +1 for the Stealth USB cable. It goes hand-in-hand with the Bricasti. Felt like a must-have, like wheels on a car.
Best of luck in your purchase.
JAMES
DAC recommendations under $7K
OK, my R11’s were destroyed by FedEx on the way to their new owners, and the check is OTW from FedEx in payment, so I am ready to buy a new DAC.
My digital equipment:
Simaudio Moon 330A
PSaudio BHK pre with Tele Medical tubes (also have Brimar & Sieman’s NOS tubes)
KEF Reference 3’s
Aurender N150
Chord Qutest with Sbooster + Ultra LPS
Transparent + Gen 5 speaker cables
Cardas Clear USB
Mogami 2549 interconnects
I am looking to spend less than $7K new or used. Size of the DAC is important, as I don’t have room for a standard width (17’) DAC and height is also a potential issue, so the PSaudio, Holo May, etc are out. I ’thought’ I wanted warmer, but after reading the excellent "If warmth is distortion... " post, I think I want a W2W DAC, front row or conductor seat sound.
Perhaps best described as my Qutest, only better. Better imaging, soundstage, no digital haze, no digital etching... clearer, cleaner. BTW, I never experience fatigue with my Qutest, filter set on incisive with HF rolloff. I wear very good hearing aids, but as a result, my HF hearing above 9khz is non existent.
My N150 is USB output only & I listen exclusively to Qobuz PCM, so I need a DAC with excellent USB capability & DSD, Roon etc is not important. I want it to be only a DAC as I plan to keep my N150 & BHK. I don’t want a tube DAC.
My next upgrade is probably my interconnects with OCC copper.
My current #1 contender is the Bricasti M3, perfect size, nice industrial design, great USB implementation, W2W sound, great reviews, everything I think I need, very little I don’t.
ChatGPT describes the M3 as follows...
What the M3 sounds like vs your Qutest:
Imagine your Qutest but—
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cleaner
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smoother
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more open
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less grain
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more precise
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more neutral
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more “grown-up” sounding
Not warmer. Not colder. Not more aggressive. Just… higher-end execution of the same overall philosophy.
I know several of you don’t like chatGPT, but keep your replies to disputing it’s findings, not it’s use. For me, it is a part of a 3 leg stool, together with other research & input from this forum.
Other DAC’s that were/are in contention are the Holo Spring 3 KTE, Mystique X, Weiss 501, Chord Dave & Chord TT2. As I said, the PSaudio, Holo May etc are too large. I am sure there are more DAC’s to consider.
Before I pull the trigger on the M3, please provide your thoughts & recommendations. I want to make a very well informed purchase. Thank you!
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@rsf507 Cary, NC @jimboman Thanks @audphile1 A bit of a surprise reply. The larger M1 DAC won’t work. Mola Mola Tambaqui Is very well regarded DAC, & very much worth a look. |
I have a T+A DAC 8 DSD, like it very much. https://www.stereophile.com/content/ta-elektroakustik-dac-8-dsd-da-processor It is a small footprint device. It can double as a preamp as it has numerous inputs, and also has volume output. I have tried it, and realize that it did change the sound. My ML 326S sort of tames the sound, so I put the ML 326S back into the system.
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@signaforce like I said for $3,000 - $3,500 with network card on a used market the M3 is a slam dunk. You won’t be disappointed. At $7,000, to me, the M3 is in a tough category as we have to consider what else is out there used and new. And I struggle recommending it at its full retail. Don’t want to misguide you. Wait it out for a good deal on a used Tambaqui. Should be close to your budget. |
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