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  #1  
Old 01-02-2021, 01:42 AM
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Tannoyd Tannoyd is offline
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Default Best Dac under $2k?

Anyone been down that road lately?
I like the R2R comeback and a tube or two.

Thoughts?
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Old 01-02-2021, 02:15 AM
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Just ordered a Doge 7. They are really backlogged because of the good reviews.
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Old 01-02-2021, 04:31 AM
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Not tube nor R2R but the Chord Qutest is hard to beat for what it packs

Plus there is an upgrade path with the MScaler

That combo I reckon will make the DAVE look a bit silly - if you don’t need XLR or a headphone amp.
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Old 01-02-2021, 04:37 AM
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Query Ivan, you never know what he may have.
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Old 01-02-2021, 06:04 AM
JemHadar JemHadar is offline
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Default Best Dac under $2k?

Not R2R...but interesting proposition RME ADI-2 DAC FS

https://youtu.be/WFJQIPymJGk

If I’m not mistaken, Denafrips has R2R dacs in several price ranges. The Ares 2 is getting good reviews.

Last edited by JemHadar; 01-02-2021 at 06:10 AM.
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Old 01-02-2021, 07:44 AM
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The MHDT Labs http://www.mhdtlab.com/ Orchid is an R2R/tube DAC that a few folks here have and think very highly of. One or two of them not only tube-roll, but have gone to the effort of cap-rolling, as well. They also offer other models, all the way up to a fully balanced R2R/tube model that slightly exceeds your budget.

Like MHDT Labs, Denafrips makes R2R DACs, though I do not recall if they use tube(s). In the review of a couple of their models in a fairly recent "Stereophile" the Denafrips models were compared to a 3rd R2R DAC, whose mfgr/model I've forgotten. Easy enough to search the Stereophile archives online if interested. Do recall that both companies, like MHDT, offer a few different DACs.
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Last edited by Formerly YB-2; 01-03-2021 at 08:47 AM.
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Old 01-02-2021, 01:40 PM
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I would recommend saving a bit more and going for the Schiit Yggdrasil. At $2,500 it is an outstanding DAC for the money. I helped research for a friend. If you are really set on below $2k then I recommend the Schiit Gungnir upgraded to multibit for $1,300... it gets you close to the Yggy. But the Yggy is an outstanding DAC.
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Old 01-02-2021, 01:54 PM
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Default Best Dac under $2k?

If you can open the aperture to $2.5k then I’d highly recommend the R2R Schiit Yggdrasil as well.

That amount also includes fine delta-sigma products from Benchmark and Mytec.
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  #9  
Old 01-02-2021, 03:50 PM
clpetersen clpetersen is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doggiehowser View Post
Not tube nor R2R but the Chord Qutest is hard to beat for what it packs

Plus there is an upgrade path with the MScaler

That combo I reckon will make the DAVE look a bit silly - if you don’t need XLR or a headphone amp.
Agree with this. Chord knows DACs.
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Last edited by clpetersen; 01-06-2021 at 09:35 AM.
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Old 01-04-2021, 09:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad.Wagner View Post
Just ordered a Doge 7. They are really backlogged because of the good reviews.
Read up on the Doge7. I would love to see your review on this. 8 tubes? Did I read that correctly?
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