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Dac Suggestions for Rega System

Hi - I have a Rega Elex-R, Apollo-R, and Kef LS50's in my listening room.  I was able to audition a Rega Dac-R and I really like what it did to the source overall, very musical while tightening up low-end smear and providing a clearer front-to-back depth.  Just curious if there are other Dac's I should be looking at before buying the Rega Dac-R.  Looking for a musical Dac, something not overly clinical since the Rega system isn't terribly forgiving with sub-par material.  Thanks!
mikecorwin
jjue
101 posts
 
I've been using Rega DAC-R for a while before I switched to W4S DAC2 then Hegel HD25. The Rega DAC-R is very musical just like the other Rega products. Since the digital world evolves so fast, the DAC's have become much affordable nowadays. I'd suggest you look into Ayre Codex and Nuprime DAC-10 (or10h).  Both can be bought below $1,500 new and offer a great deal of sound for the buck. I compared my friend's Codex side by side with my HD25 and I was impressed by its performance.
ronrags's avatar
ronrags
182 posts
 
If you like the Rega's sound I suggest you buy it unless you are willing to spend more money. I've tried at least 5 different dacs under $2k since owning the original Rega dac and I couldn't find one that made a significant difference that appealed to me. I even tried the PS Audio Directstream Dac that lists for $6k but decided on the Hegel HD25 ($2.5k list price) because it sounded more musical and fuller on my system. 

As a side note, what really improved the sound performance was upgrading the fuses in my Dac, tube amp and music server. There is thread here on audiogon where many members were pleased with the fuse upgrades. I tried both Synergistic black fuses and Audio Horizons platinum fuses but I preferred the AH fuses and couldn't be more happy with my system. 

Best wishes with purchase!
mikecorwin OP
4 posts
 
Has anyone auditioned an Apollo-R with Rega Dac against a Rega Saturn-R?  
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