LTA Aero vs Merason Reuss vs Mojo Audio Mystique Y?

Hey Dave, I have had two of those three DACs here in my system (LTA Aero and Mystique Y AM).  I also owned the Merason DAC1 MkII, sold it, and then recently purchased another that I have here now.

On paper, there doesn’t appear to be much difference between the DAC1 MkII and the Reuss, except the case, the noise and S/N specs (DAC1 is a little better), and that the Reuss has an additional transformer.  Therefore, I would suspect they share a similar sonic signature.  On this issue, AI says:

"The Merason DAC1 MkII acts as the flagship, offering higher resolution, greater transparency, and a more expansive soundstage compared to the Reuss.  While the Reuss offers a slightly more "rounded" or "warm" and highly musical presentation, the DAC1 MkII is described as more refined, with better separation, quieter backgrounds, and more intense, deeper bass. The DAC1 MkII is generally considered to be in a "higher league"."

You can read my impressions of the three DACs listed above in this thread (link).  I can summarize my thoughts on those three. 

• LTA Aero - I found it to be colorful and energetic but a little too forward for my tastes, almost to the point of sounding "forced" sometimes. Another reviewer called it, "a bit of hardness and thinness."  However, I did not roll tubes. Also, I am not surprised that many seem to like the sound of the Aero.
• Mojo Audio Mystique Y - I found the Mojo Audio DACs to be more to my tastes than the LTA Aero.  The Y displayed a similar "house sound" to the Mojo Audio DACs preceeding it, but falling behind just a little bit in the areas of soundstage and tonal density, compared to Mojo Audio’s flagships.  It uses the same AD1865 DAC chip as the LTA Aero.
• Merason DAC1 MkII - The BB PCM1794A DAC chips in the DAC1 are interesting in that they are a hybrid between R2R and Delta-Sigma.  What you get is a dense tone, full and strong lower mids and bass, and a bit of smoothness in the HFs that is hard for most R2Rs to match, IMO (although my Aries Cerat DAC does).  You lose just a bit of the organic/natural nature of the better R2R DACs, like the Mojo Audio DACs.  It is an interesting trade-off, and not necessarily in a bad way. 

I use two DACs in my system, the Merason DAC1 MkII is solid state and stays powered up all the time so I can listen at any time without worrying about warming up the tubes in my other DAC, the Aries Cerat Helene.  The Helene is a better sounding DAC to me, and a great example of R2R done right, IMO.  If I only had one DAC in my system (and not the Helene), it may very well have been whatever is the current Mojo Audio flagship, but I chose the Merason since it offers a bit different sonic perspective from the R2R DACs I have owned for the past 8 years, while still offering a solid foundation of dense tone and powerful bass. 

To your decision, only you can decide what type of sonic signature you enjoy.  Consider the LTA Aero uses tubes, for whatever that means to you. Also consider that LTA and Mojo Audio both offer in-home evaluation periods (although I am not sure of the terms).  I am not aware of Merason’s terms and whether an in-home trial is possible. The ability to hear stuff in your own home is a huge benefit toward making the right choice. Good luck.

Thanks for your insights @mitch2 ! Your DAC comparison thread is a big reason I've landed on these three haha, so I really enjoy all your contributions that help people understand which DAC might work best for them.

My biggest reservation with the Mystique Y, aside from its aesthetics, is that Benjamin explained that Mojo Audio's DACs should, in theory, sound their best through their RCA outputs, whereas I want to use XLR outputs to make the most of my amp. However, in your thread I saw you actually preferred the XLR outputs of the Mystique Y and found it sounded more vibrant and dynamic, which is an important aspect of sound to me. Benjamin also said the "better" output mostly comes down to preferences, so maybe I shouldn't be concerned about not getting the most out of the Mystique if I were to use its XLR outputs.

The hardness you found with the Aero seems to be avoidable with a tube roll. As you pointed out in your thread, Michael Lavorgna of Twittering Machines also found the DAC exhibited a bit of hardness with the stock tubes but not with his preferred NOS tubes or the Ray Reserve 6SN7s. I would like to avoid any nervosa / tube rolling obsession though so that's my reservation with the Aero. But if I just upgraded to the Ray Reserve 6SN7s and stuck with those, maybe the tube aspect wouldn't have to be a hassle especially since LTA's implementation keeps them cooler and very long-lasting.

And the Reuss would be a pretty direct upgrade from my current Frerot, but there have been recent price hikes that make it more expensive, at least at MSRP, compared to the Mystique Y and Aero. And it's harder to get an at-home demo. I like the BB1794A in the Frerot, but I also maybe prefer the idea of the fully NOS and R2R AD1865. So maybe I'll rule out the Reuss.

Regarding the chokes in the Mojo Audio DACs, you posted the following written by AI:

From AI:

The core material affects how the power supply delivers current, which in turn influences the sonic presentation.

• Ferrous Core (Entry Level): This core provides more "gestalt and slam" to the sound, with a more energetic and exciting presentation. It has a robust, impactful sound, though some reviewers note it can be slightly less subtle or textured compared to the higher tiers.
• Amorphous Core (Upgrade): The amorphous core provides an intermediate step, offering more micro-details, micro-dynamics, and a more pronounced texture than the ferrous core. The sound has a slightly lower sine wave energy representation (per Mojo Audio’s analogy), which translates to more nuances and more refined textures in the audio reproduction.
• Nanocrystal Core (Top Tier): This is the top-of-the-line option and offers the greatest refinement. The nanocrystal core provides the most profound sound quality, with a very low noise floor that allows for subtle and complex harmonic details to become apparent. The sound is more relaxed, with better timing, tune, harmonic structure, and overall musical flow, leading to more engaging emotional expression. It provides the best resolution and the most natural timbre, bringing the listener closer to an analog, vinyl-like experience.

In summary, as you move from ferrous to amorphous to nanocrystal cores, the sound signature becomes less "digital" and more organic, with increased resolution, better harmonic coherence, and a more natural, emotionally engaging presentation. The fundamental energy remains the same, but it is delivered with greater texture and nuance with the advanced core materials.

Do you have any additional thoughts from your own listening experiences regarding the relative strengths of the AM and NC chokes and what preferences might lead to someone liking the AM chokes more?

Thanks again!

FYI - There is a DAC1 MkII listed on TMR right now.

@davebull 

FYI, Choice Audio has a demo Reuss. The owner (I forget his name) offered to send it to me for a home demo. I decided not to, after reading reviews of the Reuss, but I expect you could approach him.  

https://choiceaudio.com/products/merason-reuss-dac-trade-in-model

As far as the Merason DAC 1 MK 2 on TMR goes, keep in mind that you will pay a 5% restock fee plus shipping for the privilege of auditioning it. 

https://tmraudio.com/fresh-arrivals/merason-dac1-mkii-d-a-converter/?searchid=1946918&search_query=merason