Recommend me a dac for £400 (New or SH)

[carruthersesq]

Hi Guys
I'm in the market for a new DAC, having just sold my Rega Dac, which i found slightly laid back via my Macbook. With this in mind, what would you recommend up to the value of £400?

The candidate that clearly jumps out to me (due to reading this forum) is the Audiolab M-Dac, but what else should i consider.

Also, the NAD D1050 DAC looks interesting, has anyone had experience with this Dac?

Cheers Steve

[bigmarty]

Hi Guys
I'm in the market for a new DAC, having just sold my Rega Dac, which i found slightly laid back via my Macbook. With this in mind, what would you recommend up to the value of £400?

The candidate that clearly jumps out to me (due to reading this forum) is the Audiolab M-Dac, but what else should i consider.

Also, the NAD D1050 DAC looks interesting, has anyone had experience with this Dac?

Cheers Steve

Hi Steve,

Please give the Bushmaster MK11 a listen, very popular with some of the forum users here :eyebrows: . Here's a link http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?27847-Bushmaster-Mk-II-(TC-7533)

Marty :D

[John]

Yes agree with Martin if you add a battery power supply a giant killer

[Yomanze]

Yes agree with Martin if you add a battery power supply a giant killer

Which giants? The BM2 is a great DAC, but at £400 second-hand it opens up some options!

[chelsea]

abrahamsen v6

[oldson]

Meier stagedac or daccord

[Tim]

If you found the the Rega a little laid back, try an HRT Music Streamer II+ (http://highresolutiontechnologies.com/music-streamer-ii-plus). I think they are astonishing value for money, but you only have one input. I have this and the Rega, the HRT has a little more punch and matches my near field system well, the Rega for me is just sublime for the money paired with a Brio-R and Harbeth speakers, but I like a non fatiguing sound that I can listen to all day, every day (and I often do) :D

[Stratmangler]

M2Tech Evo DAC/HiFace2.
Their HiFace DAC has been well received too

[John]

Which giants? The BM2 is a great DAC, but at £400 second-hand it opens up some options!
I think you really underestimating what it can do with battery power it go up against some pretty good DACS like the Cunas and Octavia 2 of the best DACs around. They all do slightly different things but its playing in the same ball park

[RichB]

If you found the the Rega a little laid back, try an HRT Music Streamer II+ (http://highresolutiontechnologies.com/music-streamer-ii-plus). I think they are astonishing value for money, but you only have one input. I have this and the Rega, the HRT has a little more punch and matches my near field system well, the Rega for me is just sublime for the money paired with a Brio-R and Harbeth speakers, but I like a non fatiguing sound that I can listen to all day, every day (and I often do) :D

+1 for exactly the same reason, no fatigue...

[Stratmangler]

+1 for exactly the same reason, no fatigue...

Ah, so not really accurate then ... :eyebrows:

[Lee Henley]

Have a look at the Jolida Glass FX Dac, excellent for the money, lovely analogue sound

[RichB]

Ah, so not really accurate then ... :eyebrows:

Maybe...

[Tim]

Ah, so not really accurate then ...
Who knows and who cares, all I know is I love how it sounds and can listen to it all day, which I can't do with many other DAC's. The MDAC set my teeth on edge, but I know some folk really love it.
Maybe the Rega sounds better fed a regular supply of Americana, Female Vocal and Country, which isn't real music anyway :eyebrows:

[Gazjam]

Second hand M2Tech Young would get my money.

[Stresss42]

Beresford Bushmaster MK2 with a GOOD battery pack. 100 %.

[oldson]

Second hand M2Tech Young would get my money.
not a bad choice.
i had one on home trial for a week when they first came out.
BUT it sounded identical (to my ears) to my stagedac, so i retuned it.

after reading on this forum about the BM2+battery option, i am tempted to give one a go and pitch that against my stagedac.

[Aussie1]

Americana...?

[icehockeyboy]

Which giants? The BM2 is a great DAC, but at £400 second-hand it opens up some options!

I found it superior to the £1,700 Theta I had.

[carruthersesq]

M2Tech Evo DAC/HiFace2.
Their HiFace DAC has been well received too

well, i went down this route, Evo Hiface, Evo Dac and Evo supply, sounds just great fed by either Spotify or my ripped music. Very please with them.

[starbucksboss]

Music Fidelity M1 or Clic...superb!

[Dauntless]

I have an Emotiva Stealth Dac. http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/processors/products/stealth-dc-2
Much prefer it to the M Dac I used to have. Good exchange rate with the USD at present.