Hi there,
My current setup consist of Focal Utopia and Audeze LCD XC which are powered by Burson Soloist 3XP on default V6 Vivid op amps. As a source I'm using ifi Zen Stream connected to Mojo 2. Recently I sold Topping D70S which was a decent sounding DAC to my ears, but Mojo 2 sounds a bit better to me. My gripe with Topping was also its higher voltage output, which - I believe - wasn't handled best by Burson - for instance: single ended connection sounded better than balanced to me, plus when I lowered Topping's voltage using its PRE amp mode, it also sounded better. But to the merit - I'm satisfied with Mojo2 sound quality, however its form factor and lack of inputs make me want to upgrade for a proper desktop DAC. I'm looking on the 2nd hand market and I identified 3 potential contenders:
1, Burson Composer 3XP: decent connectivity, would look great as a stack with Soloist, op amp rolling is compelling, however I've heard it sounds rather lean in its default, not sure if that would be a good match with the headhpones I have.
2, Denafrips Ares 12th: got lot a praise online, I never heard R2R DAC, but I'm tempted to try, on the other hand they say it lacks of punch and details, rounds tones and edges which doesn't sound ideal for electronic music (I'm listening all kinds of music, electronic as well as more accustic stuff).
3, Chord Qutest: seems to be Mojo's 2 natural successor, however it's only single ended and from what most folks say it's also a bit leaner sounding device, may not pair well with my headphones etc.
It's worth noting that of those three DACs, I can get Burson the cheapest (equivalent of +- 800 USD) and Denafrips and Qutest for around the same price. (around 1000 USD).
I'd love to hear your opinions on the DACs I mentioned, how they compare against each other and which one would be the best match for the rest of my setup. Thanks in advance, your help will be invaluable as it might be super difficult for me to give those units a listen before buying.
My current setup consist of Focal Utopia and Audeze LCD XC which are powered by Burson Soloist 3XP on default V6 Vivid op amps. As a source I'm using ifi Zen Stream connected to Mojo 2. Recently I sold Topping D70S which was a decent sounding DAC to my ears, but Mojo 2 sounds a bit better to me. My gripe with Topping was also its higher voltage output, which - I believe - wasn't handled best by Burson - for instance: single ended connection sounded better than balanced to me, plus when I lowered Topping's voltage using its PRE amp mode, it also sounded better. But to the merit - I'm satisfied with Mojo2 sound quality, however its form factor and lack of inputs make me want to upgrade for a proper desktop DAC. I'm looking on the 2nd hand market and I identified 3 potential contenders:
1, Burson Composer 3XP: decent connectivity, would look great as a stack with Soloist, op amp rolling is compelling, however I've heard it sounds rather lean in its default, not sure if that would be a good match with the headhpones I have.
2, Denafrips Ares 12th: got lot a praise online, I never heard R2R DAC, but I'm tempted to try, on the other hand they say it lacks of punch and details, rounds tones and edges which doesn't sound ideal for electronic music (I'm listening all kinds of music, electronic as well as more accustic stuff).
3, Chord Qutest: seems to be Mojo's 2 natural successor, however it's only single ended and from what most folks say it's also a bit leaner sounding device, may not pair well with my headphones etc.
It's worth noting that of those three DACs, I can get Burson the cheapest (equivalent of +- 800 USD) and Denafrips and Qutest for around the same price. (around 1000 USD).
I'd love to hear your opinions on the DACs I mentioned, how they compare against each other and which one would be the best match for the rest of my setup. Thanks in advance, your help will be invaluable as it might be super difficult for me to give those units a listen before buying.
