What DAC do you use with Roon? Please list make and model (and price if you feel like adding it) [2016 - 2021-03]

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.

Do you mind clarifying what you like better with the Streambox? :slight_smile:

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…:sunglasses:

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Main system uses a hifiberry digi+ connected via spdif RCA to a MHDT Pagoda Balanced.

Secondary system is connected directly to the ROCK -> USB -> Topping D10 -> spdif RCA -> MHDT Orchid.

Third system uses a Chromecast audio -> Rega Dac.

Gotta say, love the mhdt dacs!

Schiit Gungnir Multibit.
Just order Metrum Ambre as source to feed into the Schiit by s/pdif.

  1. Oppo UDP-205
  2. NAD T787 (Bluesound extension card)
  3. Chord Mojo+Poly
  4. Bluesound Powernode, Pulse Flex, Pulse Mini

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

how have you modded the P3?

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.

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did you have an elyse before?

No, always had the 2M Bronze.

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!

Desktop - Mac Mini > PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MK2 > Burson Conductor (amp only) > Audeze LCD2 > iPad Pro as Roon Remote

Stereo System - Mac Mini > PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MK2 > Anthem AVM 50v 3D > Proceed AMP 3 > Sonus Faber Liuto > iPad Pro as Roon Remote

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.

RasPi 3 + HiFi Berry Digi+ Coaxial - > Luxman DA-6
Optival - > oppo HA-1
Mac mini + USB- > Luxman DA-6
oppo HA-1

Living room
Nucleus+ -> CAT6 Ethernet -> Trinnov Altitude 32 -> Nordost Heimdall2 XLR -> Trinnov Amplitude8 -> Nordost Frey2 -> B&W 803 D2/804D2/HTM2 D2/DB1*2

Main HP setup
Nucleus+ -> CAT6 Ethernet -> Moon MiND2 -> Nordost Heimdall2 AES/EBU -> Scihiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 -> Nordost Heimdall2 XLR -> Moon 430HAD -> Nordost Heimdall2 balanced headphone-cable -> Audeze LCD4 rev2

Office HP setup
Nucleus+ -> CAT6 Ethernet -> Moon MiND2 -> Nordost Heimdall2 AES/EBU -> Schiit Yggdrasil -> Nordost Heimdall2 XLR -> Moon 430HAD -> Nordost Heimdall2 balanced headphone-cable -> Audeze LCD-XC rev2

Metrum Onyx via baby Ambre (coax) endpoint ($2,400 and $397 respectively)

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Chord Qutest £1195

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.

Audiogd Master 7
Audiogd Ref 5
Mhdt Havana