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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—

  • cleaner

  • smoother

  • more open

  • less grain

  • more precise

  • more neutral

  • 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!

signaforce
signaforce's avatar
signaforce OP
549 posts
 

Finally the most accurate: 

Rank

DAC

Notes (Accuracy Focus)

1

Mola Mola Tambaqui

Highest resolution + blackest background + best USB implementation; extremely revealing in a neutral, non-colored way

2

Chord DAVE

Very high resolution, excellent detail retrieval; FPGA timing is exceptional — but USB is good rather than optimal

3

Bricasti M3

Very reference-neutral and accurate with quiet analog stage; slight masking of the last layer compared to top two

4

Chord Hugo TT2

Similar FPGA family; slightly less resolving than DAVE, but still very accurate

5

T+A DAC 200

Precise, neutral, tunable filters help accuracy; a small shade less micro-detail than the top four

6

Weiss DAC501 MK2

Very refined and transparent; slightly smoother/polished than the top tier, which affects raw “forensic†accuracy

7

Weiss DAC501 v1

Older, still very clean, but softer and less resolving than MK2

8

Ayre QX-5 Twenty

Excellent analog implementation but not as analytically incisive as higher reference DACs

9

Holo Spring 3 KTE

Musically rich and detailed but not designed for ultimate lab-like accuracy

10

Chord Qutest

Baseline reference; very capable but behind the more advance
signaforce's avatar
signaforce OP
549 posts
 

Based upon that analysis, & what I think my desires are, my overall ranking would be, price no object: 

1. Tambaqui 

2. Dave

3. M3

If I figure cost in M3 moves to number 1.  

I want to keep my N150 (freeing up that space doesn’t help), & the conductor or Qobuz conect app, so think I will stay away from network cards. So now it comes down to money & choices.

Emotionally, I have always wanted the Dave. The Tambaqui is probably the best choice, financially the M3 is best. Decisions… decisions.
Any help with the remaining 3 would be welcome. Thank you all again!

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
810 posts
 

One more dealer recommendation, this one much closer than Winston-Salem: Hifinotes in Durham.  Unlike Ember, I’ve never been there, but they carry some very cool brands, like Cinnamon and Wolf Von Langa (speakers).  Re small format DACs, they carry Cyrus, Ferrum and Gold Note.  Would be easy to take your Qutest in and do some comparing. And it beats the hell out of Chatgpt, lol!

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
810 posts
 

oops! correction, hi notes music in durham.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,911 posts
 

@signaforce go with DAVE if you find a good deal on it. Keep in mind this model has been in production for quiet some time. I would buy used and make sure it’s 2-3 years old max. 

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