There is only one choice . Chord Dave.
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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the choice has already been made, and @signaforce will enjoy the M3. |
I do not own a Bricasti-M3, but I was considering a purchase of one. This is the Bricasti site Download page Bricasti Design and there is no mention of firmware. I am pretty sure that the version is specific to the circuit board which can be changed out. Otherwise, if you read the manual - M3_Manual_8_22.pdf there is a menu option to display Version: the current software version installed in the M3. Your other seller should be able to tell you what software version is installed. From what I read, for the MDx board, the version is not that dramatic, but best to email Bricasti for a definitive answer - Bricasti Design. |
In a way, this reminds me of the DAC comparison threads that overlooked everything in the the design but the DAC chips.I make this point because everyone who is posting here could hypothetically use the same exact DAC and it would sound different. It would sound different due to the probability that everyone's using different equipment and different cables,etc...If I were in the market to purchase a different DAC and didn't have the ability to hear it with my own stereo, I'd be researching the components /design in addition to reading periodical reviews and posting on forums. As knowledgeable as this site is, no one here knows how my hifi sounds nor how it could sound, by adding a single component upgrade. |
- 203 posts total