Looking for a new DAC under 50K

Sonus

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Jul 7, 2012
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Looking for a new DAC under 50K$ must be SS with USB that can play DxD, DSD, and MQA.

What should I consider?
 

DasguteOhr

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Sep 26, 2013
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morricab

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Looking for a new DAC under 50K$ must be SS with USB that can play DxD, DSD, and MQA.

What should I consider?
Why must it be SS?
 

Abbinormal

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Feb 15, 2020
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I am partial to dCS. The Rossini DAC and Clock meets all of your requirements and comes in at around $32.5k. If you need a CD player as well, you can get the Rossini Player which is the DAC and a CD player in one chassis plus the clock for around $37.5k. If you need SACD playback, then there is the Rossini Transport, DAC, Clock combination for $56k, which is over your budget. I own the Transport, DAC, Clock combination and I have been extremely happy with it.
 

Sunny

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We are so proud to be Wadax dealers. If you live in and around Los Angeles make an appointment to come and visit us. We will also offer a service to help you sell your trade-in products.

I just received the WADAX Atlantis DAC. The best digital I have heard by far in my store. I will also have the reference in the store soon. www.sunnyaudiovideo.com CH Precision L10, M10 mono blocks, P1, X1, D1 Kuzma and Mysoniclabs cartridge. Stenheim Reference Ultimes with external crossovers.
 

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Sonus

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
123
2
260
SF Bay Area, CA

Sonus

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
123
2
260
SF Bay Area, CA
I am partial to dCS. The Rossini DAC and Clock meets all of your requirements and comes in at around $32.5k. If you need a CD player as well, you can get the Rossini Player which is the DAC and a CD player in one chassis plus the clock for around $37.5k. If you need SACD playback, then there is the Rossini Transport, DAC, Clock combination for $56k, which is over your budget. I own the Transport, DAC, Clock combination and I have been extremely happy with it.
Thanks for the info, very interesting.
Since I don't need a CD player and all my disks are files now I can play them using USB. Why not go for the Vivaldi DAC instead of the Rossini? isn't it a step up from the Rossini DAC?
 

sbnx

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Mar 28, 2017
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MSB should be in the list for DACs at that price point
 
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Sonus

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Jul 7, 2012
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SF Bay Area, CA
MSB should be in the list for DACs at that price point
Yes, the reference DAC is my top choice. I have the analog DAC now and love it, when I called MSB to ask if I can add 8xDSD to the analog DAC they said no and that I need to buy a new DAC, funny how they are all about future-proofing and modular design and still ask you to buy a new DAC every few years like any other manufacturer out there.
 
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thedudeabides

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Unfortunately, not unusual for the high end industry. Why provide an upgrade path (if feasible) versus forcing the customer to purchase a new unit?
 
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sbnx

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In all fairness. The Analog DAC was MSB's most "affordable" offering. It was surely designed to a price point and an upgrade may legitimately not be possible.
 
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Sonus

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Jul 7, 2012
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SF Bay Area, CA
Well, they do it still.. in a couple of years it will be replaced with a new one so why advertise something you know is not true?
Anyhow, they have great products just sell them as they are instead of half-truths.
Screen Shot 2021-02-24 at 10.13.36 AM.png
 
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gadawg58

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Apr 7, 2018
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The Esoteric N-01XD should get a listen as their newer models sound really different from the past models ... you still might not like it but you won't know unless you try it. Also ... bet you could find the D1X mono's for a tad under $50k ... don't know how much under $50k you are shooting for but its a thought.

George
 
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Sonus

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Jul 7, 2012
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SF Bay Area, CA
The Esoteric N-01XD should get a listen as their newer models sound really different from the past models ... you still might not like it but you won't know unless you try it. Also ... bet you could find the D1X mono's for a tad under $50k ... don't know how much under $50k you are shooting for but its a thought.

George
Good to know thanks, I never liked Esoteric the quality was never there (for me). I'll try to have a look at them again.
 

GSOphile

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Sep 3, 2017
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The Esoteric N-01XD should get a listen as their newer models sound really different from the past models ... you still might not like it but you won't know unless you try it. Also ... bet you could find the D1X mono's for a tad under $50k ... don't know how much under $50k you are shooting for but its a thought.

George
As a K-03X owner who recently upgraded to a K-01XD, I concur. The current Grandioso and XD models are a big technological step up from AKM DAC chips to a proprietary discrete component DAC architecture - yielding a big jump in SQ to my ears. As George says, 'You still might not like it, but you won't know unless you try it.'
 
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howiebrou

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Jun 29, 2012
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Trinity Silver Reference, DCS Vivaldi
Looking for a new DAC under 50K$ must be SS with USB that can play DxD, DSD, and MQA.

What should I consider?
I am not sure about DSD, DXD etc but don't discount dacs from Trinity Audio Labs (their new silver reference one is amazing), Metronome and Orpheus.
 
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thedudeabides

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Jan 16, 2011
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The Esoteric N-01XD should get a listen as their newer models sound really different from the past models ..

Given Esoteric's history of frequently releasing the "new and improved" versions I suspect, unfortunately, that the above statement (for the next update of the N-01XD) will be valid one year from now.
 
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howiebrou

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Jun 29, 2012
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Given Esoteric's history of frequently releasing the "new and improved" versions I suspect, unfortunately, that the above statement (for the next update of the N-01XD) will be valid one year from now.
I'm not so sure. They only recently changed the architecture of their dacs which they had used for 20 years so it was a major paradigm shift and any new models which are a necessity for sales will merely be tweaking that architecture.
 

GSOphile

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Sep 3, 2017
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Given Esoteric's history of frequently releasing the "new and improved" versions I suspect, unfortunately, that the above statement (for the next update of the N-01XD) will be valid one year from now.
They are aware of this valid criticism. Two points going forward:
1. They now have complete control over over their own proprietary DAC, so no longer incented to chase AKM's latest DAC chip tail.
2. Gibson Guitar had controlling interest in TEAC/Esoteric until 2018 when they went bankrupt and divested TEAC. So Esoteric is no longer subject to failing parent pressure to churn their install base. Prior to the last two turns, it looked like they were on a 4-year cycle... that went to a 2-year cycle at about the time Gibson began to drown in debt.
So we'll see....
 

Abbinormal

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Feb 15, 2020
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Thanks for the info, very interesting.
Since I don't need a CD player and all my disks are files now I can play them using USB. Why not go for the Vivaldi DAC instead of the Rossini? isn't it a step up from the Rossini DAC?
That is a good question. I am going to have to ask my dCS buddy the answer to that one.
 

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