$2000 Dac

Fire-water, My system is made up of a Lamm 2.1 deluxe pre and a VTL st150 amp. Played through Vandersteen 2sig3 speakers. I have a Baetis streamer, server. Played through a Luxman dac. Over the years I have replaced speakers, amps, pres. I never replaced the dac or the Baetis. I just traded my dac in on an Antipodes DX3 streamer ripper server. So I have no dac. I have tried so many dacs over the years. It seems they all gave me the same results. That is why I am looking for an R2R or a dac with tubes. I do have a turntable also. I expect to get the Antipodes next week. So I'd like to have a dac ready when it arrives. I stream Tidal through Jriver. I may be changing to roon. May not have a choice.

lanx thanks for spelling it out for me. I have not made my choice. Why wouldn't I buy a used Pontus for 1500 bucks if it's the same as the divinity? Just wondering. I would like to try the lesser expensive Garlubidor but they have not been shipped yet. The market is flooded with dacs if you want a denafrips, Guster and other chinese varieties. My reason for the post in the first place was to come up with dacs I haven't heard of that aren't a boat load of money. thanks

Op, Responsible reviewers usually publish their reviews 2–3 months after a product’s release, due to the necessary break-in period. I believe a number of reviews will be coming soon, so you might want to wait—just hold on to your curiosity. Your McIntosh C2500 has a very capable internal DAC that compares favorably, in sound quality, with separate DACs in the $2,000–$3,000 range.  

Get a schiit mimir or Rme dac or some other dac with built-in eq settings and bump the mid band down....until the voices are far enough for you.

If you're a anti eq puritan...

Increase speaker to speaker distance, decrease speaker toe-in,  lower speaker height/increase seat height, listen from farther away, treat front wall, side reflections, etc...

I am looking for examples that don't throw the voices so far in front. Yes, I like the detail. I am coming from a Luxman dac that was very good, but I just felt the voices were too close, often

@lanx0003,

This was not the case when I connect micro DAC directly into my amp.  The SS remains wide, tall and deep with pin-point image.  Good luck on your journey with new DAC.  It might have the right synergy with your gears that you are looking for. Keep us posted.  

Again, thank for your comments as I would have never even considered not using a preamplifier if for not reading your thinking out of the box posts here. I think you are saying that with your rig, without a preamp, the sound produced was better than when your µDac was being used with a preamp? If so, may I ask what preamp(s) you were using before you forgoed it/them? And what SS amp(s) are you using? And how was the imaging, dynamics, detail and is it a smooth, musical, with great separation of sound? Or is the soundstage dry without a preamp?  And how did you work around not having a volume control as not for the sound to be extremely loud or even to soft? My power amp is a Clayton S-100 SE and is a beast of an amp.

I postulated this question to GOOGLE AI as I don’t like chatgbt:

How does the laiv harmony μdac sound when directly connected to a power amplifier? Does it produce a better sound than going through a preamp while also playing through passive speakers? What are the pro and cons?

And this is what I got:

The LAiV Harmony µDAC, when directly connected to a power amplifier, is described as having a clean, dynamic, and natural, analog-like sound that lacks digital glare or fatigue. It is highly regarded for its ability to produce a "full-bodied" and "holographic" soundstage, often compared to much more expensive DACs. Its Class A output stage is designed to provide a consistent, stable output impedance, making it suitable for direct-to-power-amp applications. 

Does it sound better than going through a dedicated preamplifier?
Whether it sounds "better" is subjective, but it is a very strong contender for direct-to-amp setups. The low-impedance output make it a capable preamplifier replacement. 

Pros and Cons of Direct Connection to Power Amp:

• Pros:
  • Excellent Detail & Dynamics: Highly detailed, smooth, and musical, with great separation.
  • Natural Sound: R2R ladder technology provides an analog-like, non-fatiguing presentation.
  • Versatile Output Stage: The Class A buffer allows for good compatibility with power amplifiers.
  • NOS/OS Options: Features both Non-Oversampling (NOS) for a more organic sound and Oversampling (OS) for more detail.
  • Value: It is often described as offering performance far exceeding its $994 price point.
• Cons:
  • Limited Input/Output: Only has XLR balanced outputs, requiring adapters for RCA-only power amps.
  • UI Navigation: Some users find the interface navigation a bit challenging.
  • No Analog Inputs: You lose the ability to connect analog sources (e.g., turntable) that a traditional preamp provides. 

Conclusion:
Using the LAiV Harmony µDAC directly into a power amplifier is a fantastic way to achieve a minimalist, high-fidelity system, especially if you prioritize transparency and imaging. It often outperforms or matches more expensive, dedicated preamps in terms of clarity and detail, making it a "giant killer" in that regard.