[kid vic]

I'm looking to upgrade to a new DAC come November. My Budget is roughly $750-$1,200 USD. Almost guaranteed the DAC will be used.
I listen to roughly 50% rap, 30% jazz and 20% everything else. I have more or less settled on getting an R2R DAC; my sonic priorities are (in this order):

-Soundstage width and depth
-Bass quality and quantity
-Naturalness of voices and accurate timbre
-Separation

A significant amount of my Jazz listening is done via vinyl (Oracle Delphi mkii, DBL Wand+, Denon DL301), my headphones include Audeze LCD-3, Mr. Speakers Ether Flow 1.1, Hifiman HE-500 and more. I'm not convinced that I need DSD (Google play doesn't offer it) so that benefits the Yggy and PS Audio but I don't want to have to upgrade for a few years so that is a factor. The Holo Audio seems to have the worst USB interface of the three so thats a strike against it. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Baten]

Sound stage go to Yggy. Timbre and naturalness imo go to holo spring. Bass/separation should be close call.

If you can find either on the local or online used market that would be sweet, can't really go wrong. Holo spring 1 is best with I2S input, but the new Holo spring 2 has the best USB interface of all your options, it is super high speed and low latency I was really impressed with it.

 

[kid vic]

Sound stage go to Yggy. Timbre and naturalness imo go to holo spring. Bass/separation should be close call.

If you can find either on the local or online used market that would be sweet, can't really go wrong. Holo spring 1 is best with I2S input, but the new Holo spring 2 has the best USB interface of all your options, it is super high speed and low latency I was really impressed with it.

Thats interesting, a number of reviewers habe noted the yggy has a small soundstage compared to the holo audio and even the Gumby. I don't think I can find a Spring2 in my price range.

 

[Baten]

Thats interesting, a number of reviewers habe noted the yggy has a small soundstage compared to the holo audio and even the Gumby. I don't think I can find a Spring2 in my price range.

Well the holo audio sounds best as a NOS dac, and unless you feed it heavily upsamples material by HQplayer for example, it will not have a super big sound stage in 44/48Khz NOS mode.

 

[kid vic]

Well the holo audio sounds best as a NOS dac, and unless you feed it heavily upsamples material by HQplayer for example, it will not have a super big sound stage in 44/48Khz NOS mode.

I assume you have heard both DACs extensively? Torq has stated that the the Yggy is more precise and dynamic whereas the Holo has a blacker background, wider stage and sweeter sound, Currawong said something similar (IIRC). Though my vinyl rig is quite dynamic there is a certain kind of snap that digital can have that I think the yggy might be closer to; however, that Holo black background+sweetness sounds like vinyl! I might be leaning more towards the Perfectwave because it (and it's successor) seem to split the difference between the two.

 

[Baten]

I assume you have heard both DACs extensively? Torq has stated that the the Yggy is more precise and dynamic whereas the Holo has a blacker background, wider stage and sweeter sound, Currawong said something similar (IIRC). Though my vinyl rig is quite dynamic there is a certain kind of snap that digital can have that I think the yggy might be closer to; however, that Holo black background+sweetness sounds like vinyl! I might be leaning more towards the Perfectwave because it (and it's successor) seem to split the difference between the two.

I really love the Holo since it sounds incredibly analog but in NOS mode it will never sound as wide as an oversampling DAC. Yggy uses their comburrito OS filter

 

[bobbmd]

I would get the Schiit Yggdrasil GS if still available has everything the more expensive new Yggdrasil has(and hundreds$ less) but has analog 1 I bought it with Schiit Ragnarok 2 just the amp---WOW

 

[NA Blur]

Topping D90
$600 new
Not R2R, but unless you can prove you can hear the difference between level matched DAC’s why go more expensive and more noisy?

To me the D50s or D90 are excellent sounding DAC’s and both world class. I’ve owned a ton of DAC’s and these are my two favorites. Easy to setup and run, auto off feature, plenty of connectivity, and the D90 can output to both XLR and singles ended simultaneously.

 

[silversurfer616]

Agree with Topping D90 and that’s me coming from a Metrum Pavane.
In my audiophile arrogance I was always too snobbish to consider ChiFi but the D90 is really good and quite amazing in producing a deep and wide holographic soundstage.

 

[Brooklyn70]

Hey all a quick question Has anyone had any experience with the Musical Paradise MP-D2 MK3 DELUXE DAC??

 

[SupperTime]

Rme adi-2 dac

 

[daytrader]

Denafrips Ares ll or BorderPatrol Dac if funds are available.

 

[Brooklyn70]

Rme adi-2 dac

I’m not a fan of the RME sound. Plus I want the option of being able to switch between tube and solid state output

 

[SupperTime]

I’m not a fan of the RME sound. Plus I want the option of being able to switch between tube and solid state output

How would you describe the rme sound?

 

[Brooklyn70]

How would you describe the rme sound?

Bright-thin