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Three way shootout...

I've narrowed my "never heard a single one of them (yet)" DAC search to 3 candidates and would appreciate opinions from anyone that has actually heard any two of them. All three? Great!

  • Mytek Brooklyn + microRendu
  • PS Audio DS Junior (network built in)
  • Schiit Yggdrasil + microRendu
Accounting for a trade-in on the DSJr, these options are very close on price. 

I want to stream Tidal and playback files, mostly CD rips, from a Windows 10 computer accessible at the audio system only by Ethernet. I would most likely using Roon. I prefer simplicity of implementation (DSJr built in network has a leg up here). I'm also hoping for sufficiently good sound quality that I can get off this merry-go-round for a couple of years.

What are not important at all are variable output/preamp, headphone amp, phono stage (?!?) or fancy display. My preamp has balanced inputs, but I believe all of the above have balanced outputs.

I do have quite a few SA-CDs that I'd hate to lose use of, though I could still play on my Oppo BDP-105D.

Thank you.
Chris V
cvalle
cvalle OP
6 posts
 
Which PS Audio DAC did you get? I'm leaning slightly to the DSJr because of the built-in Bridge II (which I understand is internally connected to the DAC via the much ballyhooed I2S, someone correct me if I'm wrong), and the strong support Paul, Ted and friends show for their customers in the form of free firmware upgrades that are actually performance enhancements rather than simply bug fixes. The slightly leaning grew recently with the announcement that a Bridge II update will support MQA (not fully decoding, but passing the high-res through).

Chris V
gdnrbob
2,421 posts
 
@mac,
Oh, must everything be flat!
limniscate
233 posts
 
I compared the Codex to the Yggy and could not telll any difference once they were volume matched.
mac48025's avatar
mac48025
613 posts
 
cvalle, I have the Perfectwave DAC and transport. Hopefully will get the Directstreams in the next year. The DSJr looks appealing also but I don’t all that much about it.

I see that limniscate came to the same conclusion I did ......the Yggy and Codex are on par with one another.

Oh, I certainly hope not Bob! ;)
lancelock
625 posts
 
I can only speak about the DS DAC (not Jr.) and being able to run Ethernet cable from the server in another room is an advantage for me not to mention the sound is awesome. I have 3 systems, one on each floor using the same server source and Ethernet connections.

PS Audio is coming out with another firmware update very soon and I expect another SQ improvement in this already fine sounding DAC. Every time they introduce a firmware update it's like a new component. 
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