DAC Recommendations ($1200 to $1500)

I would suggest the Chord Qutest or the Benchmark DAC3 B…

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I have a Qutest, and also highly recommend it

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Denafrips Ares 2 for $700. Read reviews and stay away from Audio Science Review. They measure to death… but after all what counts is how it sounds, right?

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Good recommendations so far.
Let me add Matrix Audio x-Sabre Pro which can be found in your price range if second hand.
Solid, excellent sounding. Measures great as well.

Topping D90 or brand new SMSL SU9. $400 -$700 range. Check out the measured specs on Audio Science Review. If you need more DAC than this you live in truly rarified air?

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Hm, I think Denafrips Ares 2 have also good measurement result on Audio Science Review, so why to stay away ?
Why do you think that human hearing capabilities are superior to objective measurements ?

I like the Denafrips products.

One considertion for this OP, is that they can only be ordered from Singapore and take several weeks to arrive.

Why stay away? Because members think equipment used to produce music should not be assessed by how it sounds but by only how it measures. Cult-like delirium.

Exactly, thank you Bill. More people should know that. A DAC is a DAC and not! a streamer

Robert, can´t you get different DAC´s from your dealer? Listen to them at your home and with your setup. If not, change your dealer…

I upgraded my DAC´s from Cambridge Audio DacMagicPlus ( around € 400 excellent price/what you get relation ) to a Rotel Amp with integrated DAC ( well…) to a RME ADI-2 DAC fs ( around € 1.000, excellent price/what you get relation ) but it has a “lockable” 12V DC plug, but that´s a different story, to “finally” a T+A DAC 8 DSD. Brilliant, now i´m done witth DAC´s.

I ithink that a DAC sounds like it measures.
The measurements prove the transparency, so you can hear the music as it was recorded without any coloration.
But this is a matter of taste, ofcourse.

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Questyle CMA Twelve Master.

I had a CA DAC Magic 100 then a CXN V1 . Both superb , the CXN is primarily a streamer . Is now Roon and DLNA. Supports Tidal, Qobuz , Spoity and internet Radio

Good buy …only drawback is no headphone jack alas it would be a one box solution

Maybe consider Audiolab M-DAC+

I did not have a good experience with my Schiit DAC. It was a Bifrost Multibit. I’m not commenting on the sound quality because that is subjective and I lacked the ability to properly A/B compare it anyway. But I had numerous hardware issues, several back and forths for warranty and the unit was never properly fixed. I was extremely disappointed in the repair experience and customer service was very lax. Schiit just didn’t seem up to par with what I would have expected dealing in an audiophile hobby like this. I ended up giving my unit to a good friend who was just getting into digital audio and I bought a Chord Qutest to replace it. This was only my personal experience that I wanted to share.

I recommend a used PS Audio DAC.

I grabbed a used NuWave DSD for $750 U.S. and I’ve seen the Stellar Gain Cell used for $1,200 U.S.

Check out the JAVS X7-DAC MQA with Clean Power…

Review:

Distributor:

Chord Qutest

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Rme adi fs2, matrix audio x sabre pro mqa, chord qutest…

+1 on Qutest. I have been through a couple of Benchmarks, also good. This is smoother and nicer. Plus the filter choices allow one to tailor the sound. The only downside is no headphone amp, if that’s important to you.

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Quest does not show up on the list of certified roon devices. What gives