My TOP TEN DAC List. These are my Faves and #1 will SURPRISE YOU!

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This is a fun one today and is a list of my top ten DACs that I have heard over the last two years. I have been able to hear some amazing pieces over the last year and these are my faves in regards to sound quality alone.
These are only the DACs that I have heard or tested. There are a few out there that I still have yet to settle down with. Those would be DACs from Mola Mola, Holo and I would love to hear the Rossini from DCS one day as well. A great DAC can totally change your systems sound and most DACs today over $2k will be pretty nice. As you climb the ladder in price you can expect more refinement, a smoother more expansive presentation and a complete lack of grit and digital noise.
My #1 on this list was better than any of the others for my tastes but your tastes may vary.
Honorable Mentions: HiFi Rose 150b, Chord TT2
Enjoy!
Media Contact/Review Contact: stevehuff1@icloud.com

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Опубликовано:

6 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 227

@isaacsykes3 Год назад

I really appreciate and enjoy your enthusiasm for this hobby and the products that you review. You have given me a nice shopping/wish list of DACs and speakers to hopefully try one day soon. I would love to see you review products from Mola Mola, Spatial Audio, and the May DACs, as I enjoy how your reviews are done. Thank you for your all you do. Be safe.

@ibrahim-alani Год назад

Can you please review HoloAudio - May DAC - KTE May

@DeanCampbellusa 2 месяца назад

I second this review suggestion!!

@EricIzabelle Год назад

Very cool review(s), thanks!

@dj.paulieb Год назад

Thank you for a great list of DAC.

@michailxyntarakis1590 Год назад

Nice! Talking about entry level, I wonder if you have ever heard an MSB dac. I have the dynaudio heritage special by the way and your review did help me.

@ptong4894 Год назад

Please check out the Holo May KTE DAC if you have the chance... would be great to see where you'd insert it in your list.

@jearley22 Год назад

can't wait for you to get your hands on a MSB Discrete.

@allenmartin6708 Год назад

Have you ever heard the HoloAudio May KTE DAC? I pair it with Grimm MU1 streamer. DCS always has interested me.

@VaioII Год назад

Great sum up, you should also try the newer MSB line up portfolio also when you get the chance 👍

@MaximusTiberius_ Год назад

Thanks for a great list and review. Any words about Mytek Manhattan 2?

@Luca84v Год назад

Have you ever listened and compared the MATRIX AUDIO i-3 Pro? any opinion in terms of quality?

@giuseppelazzarotto2630 Год назад

Any experience with the mola mola tambaqui?

@net_news Год назад

Denafrips is made in China, in Singapur is the distributor.

@veetour Год назад

I would like to buy the Denafrips Venus II. I hope you can review that at some point to compare it to the Terminator+ or Pontus.

@sarcese52 Год назад

Have you reviewed the Holo Audio May KTE DAC?

@snomofilms Год назад

He has not. Interested in this….

@is1dre Год назад

I traded my Dave/Mscaler (an amazing combo) for dCS and there is no comparison. Dave is clinical by comparison.

@arathorrn371 Год назад

Have you ever experienced and reviewed the Rockna Wavedream?

@michaellittle2995 Год назад

So is the DCS Luna going to move in permanently? I hear that sort of excitement at the end of this.

@spacejaime Год назад

Like everything else in our hobby, it takes cubic dollars to get to the top sounding components. Great to have so many options!

@humanbass Год назад

A lot of those devices are not top sounding. They have tons of distortion and noise but some old guy convinces you that it's magical tasteful distortion, therefore you should give thousands of dollars to him.

@spacejaime Год назад

@@susokraut3169 LOL!!! 😂😂

@cyrilchou894 Год назад

Would also recommend Ed Meitner MA3 from EMM Labs

@corsairdipthong3874 Год назад

Denafrips is made in China but sold in Singapore

@goahead3995 Год назад

I absolutely love this Pontus II DAC, I liked it more than DAC in Hegel H190. Just upgraded to Venus II.

@corsairdipthong3874 Год назад

@@goahead3995 And, the price is right.

@TipoF129B Год назад

Wish you had reviewed the mola mola tambaqui, Aries cerat, audio note dac 5 and other hi end pieces.

@brandonburr4900 Год назад

You should get in a mola mola dac at some point. Some have liked and preferred it to the dcs dacs.

@riccitone Год назад

Would love to get your impressions of the Holo May. KTE or otherwise 🙏🏼

@robertm8518 Год назад

The May is Awesome !

@brianlewis5042 Год назад

Excellent top10 of the units you had a chance to listen to. For myself , I enjoyed how you described the differences between each of the units and the importance of matching a DAC with one’s speakers and listening taste.

@316RC Год назад

Not sure how the Holo May KTE didn’t make the list 🤷🏼‍♂️

@user-rj9pj7yw7c Год назад

what is the most suitable for rock and metal music dac?

@chasandreae4178 Год назад

What is your reference streamer for DACs that don’t have streamers

@michaellittle2995 Год назад

Great list, have you ever heard the Border Patrol DAC? It has my interest lately and maybe it could be a more budget friendly Lampazator option?

@chadcavender3426 Год назад

Love my Border Patrol dac!

@jasonme3557 Год назад

Do you think the Weiss DAC204 would compare to the Chord Qutest.

@AF-rd2vf Год назад

I love my Directstream DAC with Bridge 2

@BonafonteLeonardo Год назад

Thanks for these recommendations. What about Musician (Aquarius and Pegasus) and Chord Hugo TT2?

@charlienyc1 Год назад

I just picked up a Pegasus and am curious how or if it ranks amongst these. I didn't have a sufficient budget for a Holo Spring 3 😥 However, I am happy with it, especially having upgraded from a DS DAC that couldn't handle DSD playback.

@vaneast411 Год назад

another worth listening to would be the Meitner MA3... thanks for all of you dac investigations :)

@Zero1O6 Год назад

Very unnatural sounding dac. Not recommended at all

@paulb.3227 Год назад

@@Zero1O6 Are you kidding? It's a superb dac !

@Zero1O6 Год назад

@@paulb.3227 Depending on level of your sound expertise

@paulb.3227 Год назад

@@Zero1O6 No no; depending on the level of resolving qualities in your set! It's just damned neutral.

@jackkennedy9475 Год назад

Have you reviewed the new Esoteric DAC’s N-01XD, and N-05XD?

@Revelator2025 Год назад

I wonder where the T+A DAC 200 would place on this list. It has countless excellent reviews. At $7k it isn’t cheap but many say it competes with dcS DACs.

@cobar5342 Год назад

All too expensive for the 'ordinary man'. How about a review of the 'Best Value' DACS?

@MAB_Audio_Nut Год назад

I agree I was hoping to some budget DACs in the list or a budget dac review

@Hubbman32 Год назад

Gotta add my vote for a review of Holo Audio KTE Spring DAC 3. I've been using this DAC for about 5 months now and its simply amazing. I chose the version with the preamp installed as well. The May is supposed to be a bit better that the Spring DAC 3, but the price point here is right in the sweet spot IMO.

@robertm8518 Год назад

I hope if he does review any of the Holo DACs that he lets it break in for at least 500 hours….they really do sound awesome!

@robertobrandoli4462 Год назад

Agree, the Holo Spring 3 KTE it's probably the best DAC at the 3K price point. Let me say that also the streamer can upgrade a lot the sound quality of digital source.

@aussie8114 Год назад

What about the ifi neo?

@DearSX Год назад

please do something similar but for Pre-amps

@wetcat833 Год назад

No mention of Holo May? I love mine.

@davidbryanbartlett4071 Год назад

DCS products are a treat to listen thru-has no signature

@iborrada Год назад

Great list but I would have included the mola mola tambaqui

@clivesutcliffe487 Год назад

Where would you position it on the list?

@povertyspec9651 Год назад

Does Fisher-Price design Chord gear?

@GoncalonevesCorreia Год назад

and the Canary audio DMS 650, that you enjoyed so much,?

@JLX5 11 месяцев назад

PS: did you ever listened to the Viva Audio's Numerico Dac?

@CinemaDemocratica Год назад

The best DAC that I have ever heard by a country mile -- and I've heard a lot of DAC's -- is the DAC inside the Arcam FMJ CD23, which, sadly, does not include a digital input. If someone out there could mod that piece to accept asynchronous USB, I'd never own another source again in my life.

@ptg01 Год назад

NICE ! I wonder what your list would look like if there are $$$ constraints, say up to $2.5Kish ?

@Zero1O6 Год назад

You could like or dislike it but Audio Note UK DACs must be in any top dac review.

@danieldavis8963 Год назад

I have a sonnet Morpheus & it's glorious, Dan from NZ

@johnratcliffe6438 Год назад

I own a Metrum Acoustics Adagio. Cees does make a great DAC.

@mrsinghsstereos6662 Год назад

Bartok 2.0 firmware upgrade is exceptional and takes the Bartok close to the Rossini DAC. Add the Rossini clock to the Bartok 2.0 and it is some combination . The Lina plus clock is inferior to the Bartok 2.0 plus Rossini clock. The Lina is intended as a head fi DAC and not a hifi DAC . Also curious to know whether your Lina was run in ?

@labalo5 Год назад

Lina and clock should be close to Rossini w/o clock

@mrsinghsstereos6662 Год назад

@@labalo5 it’s not . It uses different architecture and doesn’t have the mappers .

@vote4ulvio Год назад

So which one is the cheapest of the 10 DACs?

@DBravo29er Год назад

I just upgraded my Chord Qutest to the PlixiR Elite BDC power supply and it's easily #4 on the list with this "mod". Such a massive improvement that it torched a standard Hugo TT2 in the same system. Sounds very y close to a DAVE but I've not compared them directly yet.

@DBravo29er Год назад

@@susokraut3169 Already running through an IRIS DDC with TCXO femto clocks before Qutest. Word clock is next.

@DBravo29er Год назад

@@susokraut3169 I don't stop half way. I have a 5.2kVa (114lb) Topaz 1:1 ultra isolator with .0005pf interwinding capacitance that then feeds a Furman Elite PFi 20. This combo absolutely shamed the AQ7000 And the PS Audio PS20 when I had week long demos of those units against my setup. I'm at a very high level for power. Using all Audience or Gotham UltraPro power cords, too. 👍

@rustygates3367 Год назад

Uh huh...

@joelowens5211 Год назад

I have the DCS Bartok DAC. When I first had it did not care for the sound as much then had a software upgrade and noticed a great improvement. I have had the DAC about a year. Recently upgraded being installed this Friday to a Rossini APEX Dac (trading in Bartok) with separate master clock. Looking forward to seeing how that performs.

@greenbeginner9221 Год назад

With your experience with so many components at so many price points, are you ever puzzled by the asking prices? Such excellent quality can be obtained for $5,000 and then competition is priced at $20,000! Any thoughts?

@jazzbass6246 Год назад

Have you ever tried PLAYBACK DESIGNS

@craigosterberg5045 Год назад

Thanks

@willmac5642 Год назад

V happy with a budget pecanpi and upgraded power supply :)

@connorduke4619 Год назад

You should really try the Holo May KTE, according to other reviewers it beats the Terminator Plus and some say also the Chord Dave, dCS Bartok and Mola Mola Tambaqui. It was Stereophile Product of the Year in 2020 for a reason. I am curious to see whether this new dCS Lina can truly beat it.

@ProducerMC Год назад

That would be the ultimate comparison

@robertm8518 Год назад

The Holo May is more natural sounding

@vetreportsaei4605 11 месяцев назад

would you review the geshelli labs DAC ? The inexpensive one. I hear it punches above its class. Also, please review the Black Ice tube DAC - the one around $800

@raymondchan3587 Год назад

Mine were HOLO AUDIO R2R DAC "MAY" followed by RME dac adi-2 fs .

@TheAudiophile81 Год назад

You need to hear mola mola tambaqui dac!

@snomofilms Год назад

I bought the Pontus II based on all the rave reviews- and it’s true, it was smooth and analogue-like. Unfortunately what those reviews didn’t tell us is that the Pontus II lacks a TON of detail. It was all gone. I upgraded to the Holo May KTE (yes, way more expensive) and finally found smooth AND detailed. Bottom line, if you value detail at all- I believe the Pontus II will leave you wanting greatly. Luckily I sold it easily and only took a small loss.

@xstensl8823 Год назад

i have the Aires, i agree its not best at detail but it is just so musical. listened to Pentangle last night and it knocked it out of the park. have it paired with Rega electronics

@lesterrobinson3169 Год назад

I cannot comment on the more expensive DACS but for me the Pontus II is a revelation. I think all this is so subjective and depends also on our systems. I have tried several overs the years and for me the Pontus blows them all away. I myself never noticed a lack of detail, quite the contrary but for me the musical warm presentation is so addictive and rewarding. Never heard the other DACS in this list but I must say I was surprised the Pontus was not higher up 😊

@xstensl8823 Год назад

@@lesterrobinson3169 i am hearing details in the music with my Aires that i have never heard before. game changer and a bargain to boot.

@lesterrobinson3169 Год назад

@@xstensl8823 I had the Aires and I think in terms of value it is incredible. In many ways it’s all the DAC one would ever need. But I do strongly think all this depends on our system.

@xstensl8823 Год назад

@@lesterrobinson3169 i have a Rega Brio amp and Rega RS1 speakers. not sure if i would benefit from a upgrade to the Pontus 2

@mikelautermilch8939 Год назад

do you intend to review the Grimm Audio MU1?

@alastorwyst9027 10 месяцев назад

Yeah man that's it man.

@jlo8775 Год назад

And the flavor of the month goes to….DCS! 👏🙄🤦‍♂️

@wazzupi Год назад

I’d switch dcs for weiss (#1) all day they also have an upgraded version of the Weiss :)

@ComplexityBenz Год назад

Could you please help share your comparison between them? I’m considering between these two and bartok as well

@ot5774 Год назад

Nice! I have all these on my top 800 DAC list. I wouldn't put them on my top 300 list though.

@Gibalok Год назад

Where are aqua formula/la scala, meitner EMM Labs, Audio Note?

@krisp3128 Год назад

Thanks for a great dac list! Very interesting. The best dac I’ve ever heard is the Mola Mola Tambaqi - would be great the hear how it compares to the Lina. If I’m not mistaken they are more or less in the same price range… just a thought :)

@pennfootball71 Год назад

Mola Mola great too…a little analytical…I like higher end Lampizator’s better but 35k for a Pacific should be better

@vetreportsaei4605 11 месяцев назад

would you review the geshelli labs DAC ? The inexpensive one. I hear it punches above its class. Also, please review the Black Ice tube DAC - the one around $800

@igorpadalka5737 Год назад

What is the best Dax for rock and metal music up to you?

@pauln6803 Год назад

Not a DAC but a CD player: Naim CDX2 + XPS power supply. Way too expensive, the transport is on borrowed time, it treats compressed, poorly mixed black metal with total distain, lacks some treble details and needs the XPS power supply to really sing but nothing sounds as powerful and rhythmic.

@sbbinahee Год назад

Audio engine 150 euro is all I need ..oh and a few beers...best sound bar none

@waiyeung7501 Год назад

Denafrips products are made in China but distribution admin is based in Singapore.

@kozmiczian Год назад

What about the 10 best DACS, under 500$ ?

@TheCharlesAtoz Год назад

Emm Labs or Meitner Audio review?

@dajikbatarang1 Год назад

I thought you preferred the pontus over the qutest.

@HiFiHuff Год назад

All depends on the system it’s in. The Pontus II is a detailed yet relaxed type of DAC. It creates a very nice layered stage and while it’s not as delicate in the way it deals with these details as it’s bigger brother it does very well. The qutest I go back and forth on. It can sound amazing in some systems and hard in others. But when it’s “on” and in a system it gels with its fantastic. I enjoyed them both and usually would prefer the Pontus but after much thought I placed the Qutest above it for the fact it comes from chord who have been around a long long time. I based these in this list on sound quality, then build, then reliability and support. Both are lovely DACs and do their own thing very well but they are indeed very different.

@desalvo55 Год назад

I don't know why the Holo May Dac is not on this list. It should be IMO, at least the top 5 in this list. Maybe you've never listened to it?

@Richbroth Год назад

Try the halo may dac kte

@kenwk2283 Год назад

Honestly can anyone pick them apart via blind AB? Just curious as one is costing like over 13k.

@AT-wl9yq Год назад

If they sound different, why wouldn't you be able to tell them apart?

@klausnielsen7102 Год назад

Blind or double blind test just doesn’t seem to work in the wold of high-end audio!

@kenwk2283 Год назад

@@AT-wl9yq I don’t know if they sound diff or we think they sound diff. A lot of ppl say dac make a big diff sound nobody seems to be able to perform AB on them

@yooanto9465 8 месяцев назад

Are sure lampizator is not number1 ? I heard chord qutest improve a lot by using battery as power supply so test it if you have one.

@DaveJ6515 4 месяца назад

If you like the Lina you will love the Rossini.

@vintagepearlguitars Год назад

The Acousence converters have a great combination of transparency and musicality. It is the best DAC that I have heard so far in my professional recording studio.