[Music Alchemist]

That day I also auditioned the 009 with BHSE and it wasn't even close. Source was QB9

So? Unless you compared the DACs on the same system, with everything else being the same, you might as well say you did not compare the DACs in question. (Just heard them on different systems.)

I used an $1,800 DAC paired with a ~$350 speaker system and am getting better sound now with a $30 DAC paired with a ~$1,000 speaker system. (Or $3,500+ if you count other components.) That doesn't mean the cheap DAC is better.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

1) Yggy currently tied with Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 Mk II SE +
2) Soekris DAC 1541 (close to Yggy, better in some areas)
3) Gumby (occasionally preferable to Yggy)
4) Holo Spring level 3
5) Metrum Amethyst
6) Theta Progeny
7) Gungnir DS w/USB gen 2
8) Oppo HA-1
9) Musical Fidelity V-DAC tied with original Modi

Computer Sources

1) Lynx AES16e
2) Sonore microRendu with Uptone Ultracap LPS-1 into Mutec MC-3+ USB
3) Eitr (trades blows with uRendu but I preferred uRendu most of the time; by far best value per dollar for performance)
4) Mutec MC-3+ USB (too expensive but extremely versatile)
5) Gustard u12

 

[chillysalsa]

1. Eastsound E5 (sorry that is a CD player, but I had to put it there because the DAC, based on a Crystal 4390, with TCCO/TCXO clock and discrete class-A output, I think there are some DACs with similar achitecture so I had to list it here).
2. Breeze Audio generic AK4497SEQ dac w/ MUSES 8920 output
3. Scott Nixon TDA1543 tubedac
4. ADCOM GDA-600 (using PCM63J)

 

[Thenewguy007]

1) Yggy currently tied with Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 Mk II SE +
2) Soekris DAC 1541 (close to Yggy, better in some areas)
3) Gumby (occasionally preferable to Yggy)
4) Holo Spring level 3
5) Metrum Amethyst
6) Theta Progeny
7) Gungnir DS w/USB gen 2
8) Oppo HA-1
9) Musical Fidelity V-DAC tied with original Modi

Computer Sources

1) Lynx AES16e
2) Sonore microRendu with Uptone Ultracap LPS-1 into Mutec MC-3+ USB
3) Eitr (trades blows with uRendu but I preferred uRendu most of the time; by far best value per dollar for performance)
4) Mutec MC-3+ USB (too expensive but extremely versatile)
5) Gustard u12

Why the Holo Spring level 3 so low? I hear opinions that it's either better than the Yggy or it's worse than the Gumby. Opinions on it are all over the place with it.

 

[m17xr2b]

Have these been tested on the exact same headphone source and cables? Would't want to have your oppinion invalid because of this.

 

[pibroch]

I didn't see a thread for this. It would be informative for us all if people can rank the DACs they have tried, all ranges in pricing. And key DACs at various price ranges would be informative as well.

If I have missed any threads that has comparisons in them, please link them.

Thanks.

1. Dangerous Music Convert-2 (USB input)
2. Oppo 105D (USB input)

Fed into pair of Geithain RL906 active speakers - same speaker and listening positions.
Will test the Convert-2 against the Crane Song Solaris early January.

 

[Thenewguy007]

1. Dangerous Music Convert-2 (USB input)
2. Oppo 105D (USB input)

Fed into pair of Geithain RL906 active speakers - same speaker and listening positions.
Will test the Convert-2 against the Crane Song Solaris early January.

Can't wait to hear your impressions!

 

[biosailor]

Impressive to see the long list of DACs that have been compared! So far I had only two and the ranking is pretty obvious:

1. Aqua Hifi La Voce S2
2. Schiit Bifrost Uber

The Bifrost was uninvolving and flat sounding, while the La Voce S2 opened up things immensely. I am thinking of upgrading to PS Audio's DirectStream DAC.

 

[pibroch]

Can't wait to hear your impressions!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dan...discussion-thread.815032/page-2#post-13962176
So my impressions now:

1.Dangerous Music Convert-2.

3.(Equal 3rd) Crane Song Solaris and Oppo 105D.

The Solaris' sound is much more detailed and less distorted than the Oppo's with more separation between musical instruments. The Oppo doesn't have the low mid absence of the Solaris and so in this sense sounds more natural.

 

[Crazycuz2k]

These are the standalone DAC’s I own, in order of most recent to oldest. I’d like to think each new DAC is better than the previous, at least specs wise they are. I still have a fondness for the DLIII when connected via coax though.

1. PS Audio DirectStream Junior
2. Oppo Sonica DAC
3. Schiit Modi Multibit
4. Meridian Explorer
5. PS Audio Digital Link III
6. PS Audio GCHA (DAC/HA combo)

 

[smodtactical]

Why the Holo Spring level 3 so low? I hear opinions that it's either better than the Yggy or it's worse than the Gumby. Opinions on it are all over the place with it.

wondered the same

 

[sheldaze]

Easier for me to put these into tiers, rather than to pick one I prefer over another. That said, I do own Yggy A2, Onyx, Qutest, and Cyan. I will put an asterisk next to those DACs I have owned or still own, and two for those I still own.

Tier 4 is what I personally found to be usable for speakers. Those below had something odd, which became too audible for my use in speakers.
Tier 3 is what I personally found to be usable for headphones. I ranked the Hugo 2 here because I liked it with headphones, but not when connected to any of my headphone amplifiers.
Tier 2 is...well, it's a step below the top tier.

Tier 1
Chord Dave
Metrum Pavane
Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 (**)

Tier 2
Chord Qutest (**)
Holo Audio Spring Dac Level 3
Metrum Onyx (**)
Schiit Gungnir Multibit (*)

Tier 3
Chord Hugo 2
Holo Audio Cyan (**)
Metrum Amethyst (*)
RME ADI-2 DAC
Soekris dac1541

Tier 4
Arcam irDAC (*)
Meridian Director (*)
PS Audio PerfectWave DAC (*)

Tier 5
Chord Mojo (**)
Grace Design m9xx (**)
Schiit Bifrost Multibit (*)
Schiit Modi Multibit (*)

 

[Whazzzup]

Agree it’s moot unless your dac is the only thing switched out. For the record TT has no mentions and source like my DX, can make this dac more capable than it gets recognized for. This is a mid market dac that can surprise

 

[techboy]

May I ask which headphones you tried with it, which amps you compared to, and what you disliked about the sound?

In my experience, the Mojo sounded about as good as the Simaudio MOON Neo 430HAD when driving the HD 800 even though it's more than eight times cheaper. I used countless other headphones with the Mojo, but didn't try the others on the 430HAD.

The Mojo has enough power to drive nearly any non-electrostatic headphone to any loudness you'd want without clipping/distorting. Many (including myself) think it sounds more transparent than conventional amps since there are less components in the signal path to color the sound. The amplification in Chord DAC/amps is in the DAC's analog output stage and is cleaner than even the line outs of conventional DACs, so technically you can't bypass the amp, although you can connect to an external amp and have it function as a line out with digital volume control.

With the HD 800. It plain sucked. It was loud enough, but sucked.

 

[Anaz]

1. RME ADI-2 DAC
2. Chord Mojo
3. Audio-gd R2R 11
4. RHA Dacamp L1
5. Massdrop x Grace SDAC
6. Emotiva Little Ego