Hi Justin,
IF you decide to upgrade, what is your budget? This will help focus responses.
This is a good question. I guess I’d consider up to $1000, although there is also the consideration that currently I’m using a $35 hobby computer with an extra $35 card to feed the DAC. And once we get to $1000, I’d be at least thinking about something like a Cambridge CXN instead.
I guess I’d say I’m willing to spend a decent amount (to me; I know there are DACs that are more than my salary, but I’m not ever going to be in that area) if there is a decent improvement to be had.
A quality music server, like antipodes, is what a system should be built around. then the dac, then pre amp then cables
May i suggest any DAC by Mytek. I think the liberty falls within your budget but since it’s not my money, I would spend as much as you can on the DAC because if the front end ain’t right, nothing downstream will be. I bought many highly reviewed DAC s usually at the five hundred level but it wasn’t until I bit the bullet and spent more that I started to hear the difference. Brooklyn DAC plus sells for 2K. Pair that with a tidal subscription and you won t have to buy any files.
Then I’d second this one.
Mytek is my choice. Have an original Brooklyn and won’t upgrade to a + or a streamer+. The difference would not be audible in my system and room.
Why? Are you stress-testing your LAN?
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Have you considered upgrading the power supply to your Pi3? If you haven’t already then maybe have a think about the iFi iPower or even a linear power supply if your budget allows. I’m pretty new to streaming to my Pi3b but immediately noticed the difference when I went from a generic switched mode power supply to the iPower.
This is not the decision I made some time ago myself, but if you enjoy your system and your current DAC then I would probably not upgrade just to get the ability to play music files at 24 bit/192 KHz resolution. Recording mastering is much more important as far as my systems and ears tell me than the leap from 96 to 192 KHz.
I’ve never heard the Schiit Modi DAC, nor indeed any of the Schiit range of gear. However, I do agree with those who argue that DACs can contribute significantly to sound differences. They certainly do not sound ‘the same’.
A number of people have suggested upgrading to a Mytek DAC. If you do decide to go down the upgrade path and consider Mytek as an option, I would recommend that you also consider the Qutest (much cheaper than the Mytek Brooklyn+) from Chords range of DACs as well as something like the Holo Audio Spring DAC (at roughly the same price as the Mytek). The Mytek has features (such as pre and Headphone amps and mm/mc phono stage) that you may not need, and is significantly more expensive than the Chord Qutest.
I actually have a Mytek Brooklyn+ DAC in my second system. This replaced a Chord Hugo (Mk 1), but the choice between the two was not easy. I decided to go with the Mytek partly because it supports MQA (not to everyone’s taste), but also because I (only just) preferred the overall sound of the Mytek to that of the Hugo. They sounded substantially different, but deciding which was better was not at all easy. However, the Chord Qutest is probably quite a bit better than the Hugo (Mk 1), and is quite a lot cheaper, and so I reckon it should be high on your list if you decide to upgrade.
By the way, I also have a 2nd Gen Linn Klimax DS streamer/DAC in my main system, and it sounds significantly better than either my Mytek Brooklyn+ or Chord Hugo. DACs do contribute significantly to the sound quality of a system. That said, I would definitely not argue that DACs at the upper end of the price spectrum (such as the Linn Klimax DS/DSM at new cost or the similarly priced DCS Rossini) offer good value for money by comparison.
A recommendation from me for the Chord Qutest. I think it would be a decent upgrade at a pretty decent price. However, try to listen to it and preferably audition it against your Schiit Modi if you can.
Hey guys, thanks for all the replies and suggestions!
After doing some more listening I’ve decided not to upgrade any equipment for now. Eventually I may get some different speakers and that may kick off other upgrades, but for now I’m good. I decided instead to focus on music, and some of that is still in lossy formats and in some cases I’m missing albums that I know I used to have (aftermath of a hard drive crash). Once that’s sorted I’ll probably get a subscription to either Tidal or Qobuz.
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There is also something like a chain and ‘weakest link’.
I am still very pleased with the Holo Audio Spring
Level 2 - using Roon on my i7 MacMini to upsample:-‘