Main listening is done via my AudioQuest Dragonfly Red (MQA rendering) on my Apple MacBook Pro, iPad or iPhone on my Focal Eligia Headphones. Fantastic combination and sound.
Living room: Hegel H160 and Bluesound Node 2. Coax out from Bluesound Node 2 to Hegel H160s internal DAC. Output Kef R500 speakers.
Kitchen and Office: Bluesound Pulse
In planning: Building a Raspberry Pi 3B+ with RoPieee. I hope that it is possible to connect this setup directly from the USB out port to the USB in on my Hegel H160. Anyone with the same setup? Otherwise I need to buy an DAC for the Raspberry Pi output to my Hegel H160.
The Bluesound has the better app and interface but in terms of absolute sound
quality this little box nails it. I could use plenty of superlatives …it’s that good!
With the Qutest…
Modified Rega 2016 P3 Turntable
Vincent Phono Stage
Audio Research Reference CD8 Cd Player
Roon Rock feeding Auralic Altair Streamer and 2 Sonos Play1
Primaluna Dialogue Integrated Amp
Focal Electra 1008 BE Speakers
Groovetracer sub-platter and Groovetracer delrin platter. Also have a upgraded to a Ortofon 2M Bronze MM Cartridge. Oh, I also have the Rega Neo power supply.
Topping D50. Going price under $250. It uses two ESS Sabre Chips, ES9038Q2M, one for each channel. It sounded so good to me, I just bought another one from NewEGG. (First was on MASSDROP.) ESS top of the line DAC chip is the ES9038PRO which is found in much more expensive units. I don’t know what the difference is between the 2 model numbers, but I do know that the Topping D50 is a screaming bargain!
Antipodes Dx Gen 3 / iFi Dual head USB / Triode TRV1.0SE Dac
The Triode has a tube output stage along with dual USB so I can also run my WIN10 desktop with foobar if I feel the need. Likewise CD player thru coax and field recorder thru optical.
The dac is XMOS and I have experienced the issue changing bit rate with Roon on one occasion, not a big issue, and unlikely to be remedied by Triode.
I love this dac, I have thought of getting something a bit more modern as it has no DSD max 24/192, however very few dacs have the input choice of the TRV1, so it stays.
Coinciding with the above posts: I’m currently test driving an Ambre / Onyx combo (I2S connected) against my good old Rega DAC (which gets its Roon from an allo DigiOne). I’m very very unsure if I can really make out a difference - one which also justifies the premium to be paid.
It’s my second try to best the Rega DAC - the last half a year ago was against a Chord Qutest. That time the Rega prevailed.