NO DAC in my experience lets a human voice sound more real than a Holo May KTE.
Size be damned.
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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Sorry late to the party. |
@audiotroy Thank you for confirming my choice… I could not be happier. |
Now the OP is satisfied with their outcome, I would like to keep the thread alive with a slightly tightened down search for a DAC. I am a CD Hard Medium user now for quite a few years, just tipping toes into the water of Streaming Files as a Source medium. I had my struggles with a CD Source for many many years. Which ended when I became a "duck to water", when a Custom Built / Bespoke Design Valve DAC was made available to me, as a design that was a working prototype created by two EE's who parted ways. I received the DAC indirectly from one of the EE's who had sprinkled over it their most recent design intent for a Valve DAC. Hence bespoke as the design without a Brand on it. Since this period of receiving the DAC, I have reduced my usage of Vinyl by at least 50%+. In my use of Vinyl, I have a experience of both Valve, SS, Valve Hybrid Phonostages, which are readily available to be used, and a New SS design is imminent to arrive. I now want to have the same option with a DAC. I am looking for a SS Design DAC, either new or used, with used being mostly preferred. I am also interested in models which are known through modification, to become widely recognised for the qualities on offer through the changes made to the circuit design. $7K is not the price considered to be spent, but as a used model is not an issue, a $7K DAC in todays money is not always going to be found at this price point in the used market. SS only is the limitation, as I have no interest in attempts to improve what is on offer from a Valve DAC, that one is already "knocked out of the Ball Park", in relation to my needs for CD replays. |
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