New DAC for Rotel Dynaudio system

[the limp man]

Hello guys,
 
I know this is a HEAD-FI site, but regarding the hudge amount of experience with DACs i hope to find my answer here. I am looking for a DAC in the €500 - €600 price range. I currently own a v-dac MK2 with a upgraded PSU. I want some more attack and sparkle. On the current DAC strangly i found the optical input better than the USB-A one. I have the following system:
 
 
Rotel RA1520
VDAC MK 2
Dynaudio Exite X12
HD595 Headphones
 
 
Contenders:
 
-DACmagic (plus)
 
-RegaDAC
 
-Metrum Quad DAC
 
 
any suggestions

 

[the limp man]

Someone who can advise me?

 

[cpu8088]

if u want more attack and sparkle u need to spend more
 
get a 2nd hand berkeley alpha should be about us$3500
 
 
 
 

 

[adamlau]

Or a DAC with a a shade brightness up top to add a bit of pseudo-extension. I auditioned the Excite X12 several months ago and listen to the Focus 110 on a monthly basis. At the time, I found the X12 was not quite as smooth in the midrange as the 110 and not quite as forgiving with poorly recorded material. That said, the two were very close up top. The Focus 110 is run through either a MH 25.3, or a W4S DAC-2 to a W4S ST-250. The W4S has clearer layer separation, but the MH can sound more detailed at times owing to its thinner body and digital hash. At your requested price range, I can put a Benchmark DAC1, or an Audiolab M-DAC into the system amd have a listen. Have actually been meaning to do so, but have been a bit lazy as of late... 

 

[the limp man]

I cannot audition the Benchmark or the M-DAC so that would be great!
Quote:

Or a DAC with a a shade brightness up top to add a bit of pseudo-extension. I auditioned the Excite X12 several months ago and listen to the Focus 110 on a monthly basis. At the time, I found the X12 was not quite as smooth in the midrange as the 110 and not quite as forgiving with poorly recorded material. That said, the two were very close up top. The Focus 110 is run through either a MH 25.3, or a W4S DAC-2 to a W4S ST-250. The W4S has clearer layer separation, but the MH can sound more detailed at times owing to its thinner body and digital hash. At your requested price range, I can put a Benchmark DAC1, or an Audiolab M-DAC into the system amd have a listen. Have actually been meaning to do so, but have been a bit lazy as of late... 

 

 

[the limp man]

My budget is now raised to €1000. But if i want USB async then there arent many choices.

 

[TubeDriver]

It is quite a bit below your budget but the $450 ****t Bifrost has asynchronous USB2 and is really a very revealing and musical DAC.

 

[the limp man]

What about the synergy in my sytem? And what about the Beresford DAC?

 

[TS0711]

I'll give a "plus 1" for the Bifrost suggestion.  I've got it in a second system with a VTL IT-85 and Dynaudio Special 25's.  That little Schiit dac really can rock. 

 

[eugenius]

The new NAD M51 sounds like it's exactly what you need, it's 1500$ US or 1500 euro if you happen to be in the EU.
 

 

[NilsTentacles]

In my speaker system I use Harmony Design DA9. It is approx €700 as new. I have very good experience with it, and it sounds much better than the analog outputs from my computer.

 

[the limp man]

Short list:


Schiit bitfrost


M51 (above budget)

MDAC

It is important that IT sounds goods with rotel + dynaudio


Verstuurd van mijn HTC Desire met Tapatalk

 

[eugenius]

If I was buying a solid state DAC I would choose between the new Mytek DAC192 with DSD (they cracked SACD)  and the NAD (as the reports are very encouraging and it has HDMI, preamp, everything you might need).
 
I'm sorry, but a rotel and an excite does not constitute a high quality monitoring chain so it can't completely use a top class dac. In your chain I'd first upgrade the amplifier with a good one like this:
 

 
Or, you could sell the Rotel and the V-DAC and spring for this one: