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What's the best Tube DAC you have heard?

Hi,

Just like input for my next system upgrade. In attempt to add the tube magic back into my system which currently isn't friendly for tube amps. I'm thinking of adding that magic in the other end of the chain at the source. I do mostly computer served music these days...~40,000+ songs in my server.

I do still spin a record or two here and there, but been relying on my computer/Linn Majik more and more. I'm thinking of switching to a combo of Musical Fidelity V-link async USB -to-S/PDIF and I'll tie that to a good tube DAC.

So would like folks guidance, I've been leaning Audio Note and Audio Research....

Gerald
geraldedison
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
I have had or still have:

ARC DAC-3 MKII
ARC DAC-2
ARC DAC-5
Kora Hermes (excellent)
EAD DSP7000III
Counterpoint DA-10
PS Audio DLIII
Benchmark Dac
Bel Canto 1 & 2
Theta DS PRO GEN III, IV and V
CAL Audio Sigma and Alpha
Meridian Several different ones

and many more.
cwlondon
1,198 posts
 

Mofimadness

Can you comment on tube costs and lifespan when rolling?

And what would be your second place contenders?

Regards,
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
Cwlondon,

If you are asking about the Mininmax DAC, it only has (1) tube, so cost is very inexpensive. Not sure yet on lifespan, but I don't think they run the tube very high.

As far as a second place DAC goes, the Kora, EAD and Counterpoint have remained through many DAC shoot outs.

I missed a couple of recent DACs from my above post, add:

Cambridge DACMagic
MHDT Havana and Paradisea
Wyred DAC 1

Just remember that all of these were in my system, my room and my tastes in sound. YMMV
jax2
3,031 posts
 
I loved the Modwright Transporter. With the tubes optimized, it is difficult to imagine it could be bettered without dropping a whole lot more cash. It directly serves your computer-based library as well. If you can find an Audio-GD reference 7 or 8 (no longer available) - They don't have a tube output, but are an outstanding implementation of the PCM1704UK chip, rumored to be discontinued by TI, and one of the last great R2R chips - both DAC's I'm currently using utilize these DAC chips and render a very natural sound. There are other great players and DAC's that utilized this chip as well. If you are looking at tubes for the reasons I assume you are, I'd also consider this direction, in which case you would not really need a tube buffer to cure hyper-detailed digititis because it won't be there if that R2R chip is well implemented. Not that there aren't great delta-sigma options (the Transporter actually uses an AKM delta-sigma chip).
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
since nobody has specified what "best" means, the implicit connotation is one's favorite dac, regardless of its sound.

in that case, the first zanden dac smokes them all.
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