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Upgrade Meier Audio StageDac - help me choose my new DAC at any price

post #1 of 9
1/17/12 at 5:03pm
Thread Starter 

 

I want to buy a world class DAC and I do not have budget restrictions up to 10.000 USD.

 

My current office system is:

- MacBookAir with Decibel serving AppleLossless files, including some 96KHz 24bit high resolution files

- Audiophilleo 1 (USB-SPDIF transport)

- Meier StageDac (the DAC to be upgraded)

- Meier Concerto (the headphone amp)

- Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects

 

I mainly listen to pop, progressive, rock and hardrock and then a bit of every gender (classical is probably the least played genre).

 

What DAC would you choose and why?

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post #2 of 9
1/17/12 at 7:14pm

You might wan t o check out this month's stereophile comparing the Weiss, Bricasti and DCS. They liked the Bricasti soundwise the best. But not clear that running it through the concerto to a T1 is worth the moolah. Maybe there is more to upgrade?

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post #3 of 9
1/17/12 at 7:24pm

What are your requirements?  Inputs?  Outputs?  Headphone amp built in?  Upsampling (defeatable?)?  Preamp functionality?  Remote?

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post #4 of 9
1/18/12 at 2:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by shabta View Post

You might wan t o check out this month's stereophile comparing the Weiss, Bricasti and DCS. They liked the Bricasti soundwise the best. But not clear that running it through the concerto to a T1 is worth the moolah. Maybe there is more to upgrade?


Thanks for the Stereophile tip! It's exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

 

And yes, after upgrading the DAC I will have to update the amp later this year.

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post #5 of 9
1/18/12 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by airs View Post

What are your requirements?  Inputs?  Outputs?  Headphone amp built in?  Upsampling (defeatable?)?  Preamp functionality?  Remote?


Inputs = at least USB

Outputs = at least RCA

Headphone amp built in = nice to have but not a requisite

Upsampling = nice to have but not a requisite. Do not know what you mean with "defeatable"

Preamp = nice to have but not a requisite

Remote = nice to have but not a requisite

 

Having said this, this DAC will be the cornerstone os a series of upgrades so I can flexible on the requisites and upgrade all the other components on the system to match this state-of-the-art DAC.

 

I am looking for unconstrained advise.

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post #6 of 9
1/18/12 at 3:26pm

I've heard really good things about the Weiss DAC 202.

 

No USB, but you have your Audiophilleo 1, or you could get a thunderbolt to fire wire adapter ... or the Air has the optical out (though I don't know its quality). 

 

Unfortunately I have not heard it first person to comment on it meaningfully except to point you towards it, and hope someone else has some useful experience with it. 

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post #7 of 9
1/18/12 at 5:48pm

It was mentioned at another forum, the "new" Weiss DAC 202 has USB.

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post #8 of 9
1/21/12 at 7:18am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pigmode View Post

It was mentioned at another forum, the "new" Weiss DAC 202 has USB.



Thanks for the tip on the Weiss upgrade, now it's certainly on my short list.

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post #9 of 9
1/21/12 at 7:43am
Thread Starter 

Any opinion on the McIntosh MCD1100?

XL_MCD1100_D.jpg

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