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
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
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.
Good choice Sidvee. I currently own a Ayon CD-5s (which btw is currently on the 'Gon for sale) which is based on the Skylla 2 dac (essentially a Skylla 2 with a transport). The Skylla 2 dac is one of the most musical & musically accurate sounding dacs i've heard; my previous model CD-5 replaced my reference Vimak DS-1800Mk2 dac. The Skylla 2 can handle high res pcm files up to 24/192, and really more than 95% of your music will be in pcm, so for the money you're doing well. And if you still want to enjoy your sacd's, you could look for a good 2nd hand Sony XA-5400ES with the Modwright Ultimate Truth mod. That is a bargain 2nd hand & a giant killing sacd player.
Thank you Doggiehowser & Melbguy1. @Doggiehowser, I believe that the SkyllaII has an analog volume control, however I have a Lamm ll2.1 deluxe pre, so unless, in the unlikely event that the skylla beats the lamm in SQ, I will continue using the Lamm.
My CD listening has really tapered off, I am listening mostly FLAC's and WAV's off my computer. And as Melbguy1 rightly pointed out most of the files are PCM. I also have a Oppo BDP83 that is getting scanty use in my HT as even there I am using digital files of movies played back by my AC Ryan Media player. Plan to use that as a transport for ocassional CD playing and for the few SACD's I have.
Cheers,
Sid