My TOP TEN DAC List. These are my Faves and #1 will SURPRISE YOU!

Рет қаралды 152,324

Күн бұрын

#stereo #hifi #audiophile
My Website Reviews: www.stevehuffphoto.com
Instagram: @stevehuffofficial
This is a fun one today and is a list of my top ten DACs that I have heard over the last two years. I have been able to hear some amazing pieces over the last year and these are my faves in regards to sound quality alone.
These are only the DACs that I have heard or tested. There are a few out there that I still have yet to settle down with. Those would be DACs from Mola Mola, Holo and I would love to hear the Rossini from DCS one day as well. A great DAC can totally change your systems sound and most DACs today over $2k will be pretty nice. As you climb the ladder in price you can expect more refinement, a smoother more expansive presentation and a complete lack of grit and digital noise.
My #1 on this list was better than any of the others for my tastes but your tastes may vary.
Honorable Mentions: HiFi Rose 150b, Chord TT2
Enjoy!
Media Contact/Review Contact: stevehuff1@icloud.com

Пікірлер: 227

@isaacsykes3 2 жыл бұрын

I really appreciate and enjoy your enthusiasm for this hobby and the products that you review. You have given me a nice shopping/wish list of DACs and speakers to hopefully try one day soon. I would love to see you review products from Mola Mola, Spatial Audio, and the May DACs, as I enjoy how your reviews are done. Thank you for your all you do. Be safe.

@ibrahim-alani 2 жыл бұрын

Can you please review HoloAudio - May DAC - KTE May

@DeanCampbellusa 3 ай бұрын

I second this review suggestion!!

@spacejaime 2 жыл бұрын

Like everything else in our hobby, it takes cubic dollars to get to the top sounding components. Great to have so many options!

@humanbass 2 жыл бұрын

A lot of those devices are not top sounding. They have tons of distortion and noise but some old guy convinces you that it's magical tasteful distortion, therefore you should give thousands of dollars to him.

@spacejaime 2 жыл бұрын

@@susokraut3169 LOL!!! 😂😂

@EricIzabelle 2 жыл бұрын

Very cool review(s), thanks!

@michailxyntarakis1590 2 жыл бұрын

Nice! Talking about entry level, I wonder if you have ever heard an MSB dac. I have the dynaudio heritage special by the way and your review did help me.

@dj.paulieb Жыл бұрын

Thank you for a great list of DAC.

@ptong4894 2 жыл бұрын

Please check out the Holo May KTE DAC if you have the chance... would be great to see where you'd insert it in your list.

@Hubbman32 2 жыл бұрын

Gotta add my vote for a review of Holo Audio KTE Spring DAC 3. I've been using this DAC for about 5 months now and its simply amazing. I chose the version with the preamp installed as well. The May is supposed to be a bit better that the Spring DAC 3, but the price point here is right in the sweet spot IMO.

@robertm8518 2 жыл бұрын

I hope if he does review any of the Holo DACs that he lets it break in for at least 500 hours….they really do sound awesome!

@robertobrandoli4462 Жыл бұрын

Agree, the Holo Spring 3 KTE it's probably the best DAC at the 3K price point. Let me say that also the streamer can upgrade a lot the sound quality of digital source.

@VaioII Жыл бұрын

Great sum up, you should also try the newer MSB line up portfolio also when you get the chance 👍

@jearley22 2 жыл бұрын

can't wait for you to get your hands on a MSB Discrete.

@is1dre Жыл бұрын

I traded my Dave/Mscaler (an amazing combo) for dCS and there is no comparison. Dave is clinical by comparison.

@veetour 2 жыл бұрын

I would like to buy the Denafrips Venus II. I hope you can review that at some point to compare it to the Terminator+ or Pontus.

@cyrilchou894 2 жыл бұрын

Would also recommend Ed Meitner MA3 from EMM Labs

@DBravo29er 2 жыл бұрын

I just upgraded my Chord Qutest to the PlixiR Elite BDC power supply and it's easily #4 on the list with this "mod". Such a massive improvement that it torched a standard Hugo TT2 in the same system. Sounds very y close to a DAVE but I've not compared them directly yet.

@DBravo29er 2 жыл бұрын

@@susokraut3169 Already running through an IRIS DDC with TCXO femto clocks before Qutest. Word clock is next.

@DBravo29er 2 жыл бұрын

@@susokraut3169 I don't stop half way. I have a 5.2kVa (114lb) Topaz 1:1 ultra isolator with .0005pf interwinding capacitance that then feeds a Furman Elite PFi 20. This combo absolutely shamed the AQ7000 And the PS Audio PS20 when I had week long demos of those units against my setup. I'm at a very high level for power. Using all Audience or Gotham UltraPro power cords, too. 👍

@rustygates3367 Жыл бұрын

Uh huh...

@vaneast411 2 жыл бұрын

another worth listening to would be the Meitner MA3... thanks for all of you dac investigations :)

@Zero1O6 2 жыл бұрын

Very unnatural sounding dac. Not recommended at all

@paulb.3227 Жыл бұрын

@@Zero1O6 Are you kidding? It's a superb dac !

@Zero1O6 Жыл бұрын

@@paulb.3227 Depending on level of your sound expertise

@paulb.3227 Жыл бұрын

@@Zero1O6 No no; depending on the level of resolving qualities in your set! It's just damned neutral.

@corsairdipthong3874 2 жыл бұрын

Denafrips is made in China but sold in Singapore

@goahead3995 2 жыл бұрын

I absolutely love this Pontus II DAC, I liked it more than DAC in Hegel H190. Just upgraded to Venus II.

@corsairdipthong3874 2 жыл бұрын

@@goahead3995 And, the price is right.

@brianlewis5042 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent top10 of the units you had a chance to listen to. For myself , I enjoyed how you described the differences between each of the units and the importance of matching a DAC with one’s speakers and listening taste.

@snomofilms 2 жыл бұрын

I bought the Pontus II based on all the rave reviews- and it’s true, it was smooth and analogue-like. Unfortunately what those reviews didn’t tell us is that the Pontus II lacks a TON of detail. It was all gone. I upgraded to the Holo May KTE (yes, way more expensive) and finally found smooth AND detailed. Bottom line, if you value detail at all- I believe the Pontus II will leave you wanting greatly. Luckily I sold it easily and only took a small loss.

@xstensl8823 2 жыл бұрын

i have the Aires, i agree its not best at detail but it is just so musical. listened to Pentangle last night and it knocked it out of the park. have it paired with Rega electronics

@lesterrobinson3169 2 жыл бұрын

I cannot comment on the more expensive DACS but for me the Pontus II is a revelation. I think all this is so subjective and depends also on our systems. I have tried several overs the years and for me the Pontus blows them all away. I myself never noticed a lack of detail, quite the contrary but for me the musical warm presentation is so addictive and rewarding. Never heard the other DACS in this list but I must say I was surprised the Pontus was not higher up 😊

@xstensl8823 2 жыл бұрын

@@lesterrobinson3169 i am hearing details in the music with my Aires that i have never heard before. game changer and a bargain to boot.

@lesterrobinson3169 2 жыл бұрын

@@xstensl8823 I had the Aires and I think in terms of value it is incredible. In many ways it’s all the DAC one would ever need. But I do strongly think all this depends on our system.

@xstensl8823 2 жыл бұрын

@@lesterrobinson3169 i have a Rega Brio amp and Rega RS1 speakers. not sure if i would benefit from a upgrade to the Pontus 2

@net_news 2 жыл бұрын

Denafrips is made in China, in Singapur is the distributor.

@allenmartin6708 2 жыл бұрын

Have you ever heard the HoloAudio May KTE DAC? I pair it with Grimm MU1 streamer. DCS always has interested me.

@TipoF129B 2 жыл бұрын

Wish you had reviewed the mola mola tambaqui, Aries cerat, audio note dac 5 and other hi end pieces.

@MaximusTiberius_ Жыл бұрын

Thanks for a great list and review. Any words about Mytek Manhattan 2?

@riccitone 2 жыл бұрын

Would love to get your impressions of the Holo May. KTE or otherwise 🙏🏼

@robertm8518 Жыл бұрын

The May is Awesome !

@Revelator2025 Жыл бұрын

I wonder where the T+A DAC 200 would place on this list. It has countless excellent reviews. At $7k it isn’t cheap but many say it competes with dcS DACs.

@sarcese52 2 жыл бұрын

Have you reviewed the Holo Audio May KTE DAC?

@snomofilms 2 жыл бұрын

He has not. Interested in this….

@tarquineous 2 күн бұрын

Outstanding review !

@AF-rd2vf 2 жыл бұрын

I love my Directstream DAC with Bridge 2

@brandonburr4900 2 жыл бұрын

You should get in a mola mola dac at some point. Some have liked and preferred it to the dcs dacs.

@Luca84v Жыл бұрын

Have you ever listened and compared the MATRIX AUDIO i-3 Pro? any opinion in terms of quality?

@user-rj9pj7yw7c Жыл бұрын

what is the most suitable for rock and metal music dac?

@michaellittle2995 2 жыл бұрын

So is the DCS Luna going to move in permanently? I hear that sort of excitement at the end of this.

@BonafonteLeonardo 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for these recommendations. What about Musician (Aquarius and Pegasus) and Chord Hugo TT2?

@charlienyc1 Жыл бұрын

I just picked up a Pegasus and am curious how or if it ranks amongst these. I didn't have a sufficient budget for a Holo Spring 3 😥 However, I am happy with it, especially having upgraded from a DS DAC that couldn't handle DSD playback.

@connorduke4619 2 жыл бұрын

You should really try the Holo May KTE, according to other reviewers it beats the Terminator Plus and some say also the Chord Dave, dCS Bartok and Mola Mola Tambaqui. It was Stereophile Product of the Year in 2020 for a reason. I am curious to see whether this new dCS Lina can truly beat it.

@ProducerMC Жыл бұрын

That would be the ultimate comparison

@robertm8518 Жыл бұрын

The Holo May is more natural sounding

@316RC 2 жыл бұрын

Not sure how the Holo May KTE didn’t make the list 🤷🏼‍♂️

@giuseppelazzarotto2630 2 жыл бұрын

Any experience with the mola mola tambaqui?

@arathorrn371 Жыл бұрын

Have you ever experienced and reviewed the Rockna Wavedream?

@michaellittle2995 2 жыл бұрын

Great list, have you ever heard the Border Patrol DAC? It has my interest lately and maybe it could be a more budget friendly Lampazator option?

@chadcavender3426 2 жыл бұрын

Love my Border Patrol dac!

@joelowens5211 2 жыл бұрын

I have the DCS Bartok DAC. When I first had it did not care for the sound as much then had a software upgrade and noticed a great improvement. I have had the DAC about a year. Recently upgraded being installed this Friday to a Rossini APEX Dac (trading in Bartok) with separate master clock. Looking forward to seeing how that performs.

@chasandreae4178 2 жыл бұрын

What is your reference streamer for DACs that don’t have streamers

@DearSX 2 жыл бұрын

please do something similar but for Pre-amps

@vote4ulvio Жыл бұрын

So which one is the cheapest of the 10 DACs?

@mrsinghsstereos6662 2 жыл бұрын

Bartok 2.0 firmware upgrade is exceptional and takes the Bartok close to the Rossini DAC. Add the Rossini clock to the Bartok 2.0 and it is some combination . The Lina plus clock is inferior to the Bartok 2.0 plus Rossini clock. The Lina is intended as a head fi DAC and not a hifi DAC . Also curious to know whether your Lina was run in ?

@labalo5 Жыл бұрын

Lina and clock should be close to Rossini w/o clock

@mrsinghsstereos6662 Жыл бұрын

@@labalo5 it’s not . It uses different architecture and doesn’t have the mappers .

@wazzupi 2 жыл бұрын

I’d switch dcs for weiss (#1) all day they also have an upgraded version of the Weiss :)

@ComplexityBenz Жыл бұрын

Could you please help share your comparison between them? I’m considering between these two and bartok as well

@CinemaDemocratica Жыл бұрын

The best DAC that I have ever heard by a country mile -- and I've heard a lot of DAC's -- is the DAC inside the Arcam FMJ CD23, which, sadly, does not include a digital input. If someone out there could mod that piece to accept asynchronous USB, I'd never own another source again in my life.

@iborrada 2 жыл бұрын

Great list but I would have included the mola mola tambaqui

@clivesutcliffe487 2 жыл бұрын

Where would you position it on the list?

@cobar5342 2 жыл бұрын

All too expensive for the 'ordinary man'. How about a review of the 'Best Value' DACS?

@MAB_Audio_Nut Жыл бұрын

I agree I was hoping to some budget DACs in the list or a budget dac review

@jackkennedy9475 Жыл бұрын

Have you reviewed the new Esoteric DAC’s N-01XD, and N-05XD?

@jasonme3557 Жыл бұрын

Do you think the Weiss DAC204 would compare to the Chord Qutest.

@Zero1O6 2 жыл бұрын

You could like or dislike it but Audio Note UK DACs must be in any top dac review.

@davidbryanbartlett4071 Жыл бұрын

DCS products are a treat to listen thru-has no signature

@raymondchan3587 Жыл бұрын

Mine were HOLO AUDIO R2R DAC "MAY" followed by RME dac adi-2 fs .

@danieldavis8963 Жыл бұрын

I have a sonnet Morpheus & it's glorious, Dan from NZ

@johnratcliffe6438 Жыл бұрын

I own a Metrum Acoustics Adagio. Cees does make a great DAC.

@willmac5642 Жыл бұрын

V happy with a budget pecanpi and upgraded power supply :)

@aussie8114 2 жыл бұрын

What about the ifi neo?

@craigosterberg5045 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@greenbeginner9221 2 жыл бұрын

With your experience with so many components at so many price points, are you ever puzzled by the asking prices? Such excellent quality can be obtained for $5,000 and then competition is priced at $20,000! Any thoughts?

@GoncalonevesCorreia Жыл бұрын

and the Canary audio DMS 650, that you enjoyed so much,?

@waiyeung7501 Жыл бұрын

Denafrips products are made in China but distribution admin is based in Singapore.

@krisp3128 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for a great dac list! Very interesting. The best dac I’ve ever heard is the Mola Mola Tambaqi - would be great the hear how it compares to the Lina. If I’m not mistaken they are more or less in the same price range… just a thought :)

@pennfootball71 Жыл бұрын

Mola Mola great too…a little analytical…I like higher end Lampizator’s better but 35k for a Pacific should be better

@vetreportsaei4605 Жыл бұрын

would you review the geshelli labs DAC ? The inexpensive one. I hear it punches above its class. Also, please review the Black Ice tube DAC - the one around $800

@povertyspec9651 Жыл бұрын

Does Fisher-Price design Chord gear?

@wetcat833 Жыл бұрын

No mention of Holo May? I love mine.

@TheCharlesAtoz Жыл бұрын

Emm Labs or Meitner Audio review?

@jazzbass6246 2 жыл бұрын

Have you ever tried PLAYBACK DESIGNS

@JLX5 Жыл бұрын

PS: did you ever listened to the Viva Audio's Numerico Dac?

@igorpadalka5737 Жыл бұрын

What is the best Dax for rock and metal music up to you?

@pauln6803 Жыл бұрын

Not a DAC but a CD player: Naim CDX2 + XPS power supply. Way too expensive, the transport is on borrowed time, it treats compressed, poorly mixed black metal with total distain, lacks some treble details and needs the XPS power supply to really sing but nothing sounds as powerful and rhythmic.

@vetreportsaei4605 Жыл бұрын

would you review the geshelli labs DAC ? The inexpensive one. I hear it punches above its class. Also, please review the Black Ice tube DAC - the one around $800

@Gibalok 2 жыл бұрын

Where are aqua formula/la scala, meitner EMM Labs, Audio Note?

@ptg01 Жыл бұрын

NICE ! I wonder what your list would look like if there are $$$ constraints, say up to $2.5Kish ?

@desalvo55 Жыл бұрын

I don't know why the Holo May Dac is not on this list. It should be IMO, at least the top 5 in this list. Maybe you've never listened to it?

@Walter-qy5mx 13 күн бұрын

Where ist the Best DAC/Pre - Resolution Audio Cantata 3.0?

@vintagepearlguitars Жыл бұрын

The Acousence converters have a great combination of transparency and musicality. It is the best DAC that I have heard so far in my professional recording studio.

@kenwk2283 2 жыл бұрын

Honestly can anyone pick them apart via blind AB? Just curious as one is costing like over 13k.

@AT-wl9yq 2 жыл бұрын

If they sound different, why wouldn't you be able to tell them apart?

@klausnielsen7102 2 жыл бұрын

Blind or double blind test just doesn’t seem to work in the wold of high-end audio!

@kenwk2283 2 жыл бұрын

@@AT-wl9yq I don’t know if they sound diff or we think they sound diff. A lot of ppl say dac make a big diff sound nobody seems to be able to perform AB on them

@ot5774 Жыл бұрын

Nice! I have all these on my top 800 DAC list. I wouldn't put them on my top 300 list though.

@andreymerzlyakov8581 Жыл бұрын

What kind of music you are usually prefer?

@yooanto9465 9 ай бұрын

Are sure lampizator is not number1 ? I heard chord qutest improve a lot by using battery as power supply so test it if you have one.

@sbbinahee Жыл бұрын

Audio engine 150 euro is all I need ..oh and a few beers...best sound bar none

@TheAudiophile81 Жыл бұрын

You need to hear mola mola tambaqui dac!

@silkhead44 2 жыл бұрын

$13,000 for a DAC...hell to think of the great system I can buy with 13k with a 1k dac

@myronhelton4441 Жыл бұрын

a $20,000 dac was by far the best part of a $25,000 system. Speakers are next. Amp is next. Most expensive amps sound the same.

@kozmiczian Жыл бұрын

What about the 10 best DACS, under 500$ ?

@calvinjohnson8662 Жыл бұрын

I can arrange if you wanna try our method 4!

@alastorwyst9027 10 ай бұрын

Yeah man that's it man.

@goahead3995 2 жыл бұрын

I could of sworn he liked Pontus over Lampizator.

@atavachron27 2 жыл бұрын

A severe case of inconsistency...or memory loss!

@jovidec6274 Жыл бұрын

He also said he preferred the Pontus over the chord qutest lol

@DaveJ6515 4 ай бұрын

If you like the Lina you will love the Rossini.

@rndm4642 2 жыл бұрын

But did you check with Amir to see how they measure ;)

@AT-wl9yq 2 жыл бұрын

Junk science. That guy is clueless.

@Richbroth 2 жыл бұрын

Try the halo may dac kte

@johnbritton895 Жыл бұрын

No Aqua?

@sangpeirisYT 2 жыл бұрын

Gr8 list, but incomplete. No Mola Mola, May and upgraded Bartok… those three are probably the top end of DACs at this time.

@user-bj9ln4em6n 2 жыл бұрын

Have you tried the Schiit Yggdrasil?

@user-bj9ln4em6n 2 жыл бұрын

@@susokraut3169 and?

@BonafonteLeonardo 2 жыл бұрын

I would add Musician Aquarius and Pegasus to your question.

@andrewfitzsimons8509 Жыл бұрын

No J2 ???

@JLX5 Жыл бұрын

Hey just heads up the W in Weiss is pronounced V as it is a German name. Cheers

@jlo8775 2 жыл бұрын

And the flavor of the month goes to….DCS! 👏🙄🤦‍♂️

@quilnty Жыл бұрын

Try Ayon stratos,…please

@robertwillemen6407 Жыл бұрын

Metrum Pavane is missing....

@raymondvanderklooster5450 2 жыл бұрын

Did you listened to the Mola Mola yet?

@oscarmarfori613 2 жыл бұрын

Really expansive DACS hurts the pocket really deep

@tango_gru 2 ай бұрын

T+A DAC 200 and Mola Mola Tambaqi ????? Both missing in this list.... thats odd

@Coneman3 Жыл бұрын

Pity you didn’t try a Jays Audio DAC or Audio Music dac/1. The jays beats everything for vfm, the audio music at £13k is possibly the best DAC ever made.

@jonsays3762 Жыл бұрын

Denifrips is Chinese manufacture, is it not? Not that that’s bad, just accurate.

@dfj555 Жыл бұрын

No Benchmark Audio DAC in the top ten? Benchmark Audio DAC's we're only used by EMI/Abbey Road to remaster all the Beatles and Pink Floyd music catalogs. If you haven't heard them, give them a listen,