Boutique DACs

Boulder

Boulder doesn't currently have a standalone DAC in their product line, at least not listed among products on their website. I wonder if they are working on a replacement but the 2100 series DAC is no longer listed on their website.

I have a Boulder 1108 phono-stage, and have a Weiss DAC501-MK2 for my DAC. I'm not sure what defines "boutique" for a DAC, but that's what i have.

Others that may fit:

• Mojo Audio
• Mearson
• LTA Aero
• Totaldac

I am curious, how are you defining “boutique style”, and what is your purpose for the list?

@yyzsantabarbara I've read great things about the Imersiv. my only question is could too much resolution be a bad thing?

@mitch2 Nice additions. my definition is a little loose, but more smaller companies, that do most for the work building the DAC. not mass market, find them all over. 

@kray the imersiv D-1 is the most musical DAC I have heard. For me, watching someone perform is the ultimate musical experience. I get that with the D-1 because it has unmatched resolution.

Today, I have 4 DACs in the house RME | Meitner MA3i | Schiit Byggy | Imersiv D-1. I own all except the Meitner. The Meitner is not as resolving but an incredible listening experience. A lot of people would say musical; I agree but not as musical as the D-1. Saying all of that I am selling the Byggy and buying the Meitner MA3i. I like it more than the Byggy.

Mike Moffat at Schiit has done genius level work with the Yggi DACs. Ed Meitner has also done something special with the MA3i. I prefer the MA3i over the Byggy, but none of them get me into the music as the D-1. the designer of the D-1 is John La Grou, seems like a brilliant guy who I met last month at a headphone meet in Denver.

The only reason I do not get a second imersiv D-1 is that it is a PIA for my setup to use and I need something more feature rich like the Byggy or MA3i.

I keep hearing good things about the Meitner MA3i from everyone who hears one.  I don't need one but would like to hear it.  Interesting the imersiv D-1 has been out for a little while now but for all the talk about evolutionary and revolutionary, I still do not see too much written about it.  $12K is not out of line, if it does what they say, IMO.  Lavorgna at Twittering Machines has one in for review (link).