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Playback designs MPD-3 vs Ayon Skylla

I am currently using an Ayon Cd2s, with its digital input as a DAC to play FLAC & Hi-rez files from my Laptop. Am contemplating an upgrade and options available to me are the Playback design MPD3 or the Skylla. Having owned Ayon players (Cd1s and Cd2s) for the past 3 years as my digital sources I am quite comfortable with upgrading blindly to the skylla, but with all the buzz around Playback designs, I am curious. Any thought?
Cheers,
Sid
sidvee
bhobba's avatar
bhobba
301 posts
 
I have heard both the MPD3 and MPD5 against an Ayon. I own the MPD3 and my friend owns the MPD5 and Ayon.

Via DSD both the PD's are supreme - nothing touches them to my ears. However via PCM its another matter. Through the PD PCM is OK but to my and others ears three DAC's I have have heard - the Ayon, PDX, and Killer are clearly better.

Thanks
Bill
sidvee OP
8 posts
 
Thanks a lot Bill. My majority usage will be PCM, not even sure where to get DSD, and not sure that I can rip my SACD's (read some methods of doing this using a Sony ps2 but not very clear about it - I have about 25 sacds) so I will have to consider this.
Cheers,
Sid
sidvee OP
8 posts
 
I have decided on the Skylla II. This will be the third Ayon source I will own in the past 3 years, having owned the Cd1s,2s and now the skylla. Hopefully this will be my last upgrade for a bit where the source is concerned.
Cheers,
Sid
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
If you don't have a preamp, I'd recommend the CD5S which has an analog volume control vs the Skylla which I recall uses a digital volume control like the older CD5.
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