anewmission Posted April 8, 2021 Posted April 8, 2021 I have been keeping an eye on preamps for months now and still having trouble finding what I'm looking for. I don't want to spend more than 2k.. I was going to buy a topping d90 Dave to plug in to the pre via balanced inputs. However would something like the dac in a pa audio steller gain dac compete with the topping d90? From the reviews I have read of the psaudio stellar there has not been one good one. What are my other options. I would prefer going with something high end at used prices rather than buying sub par gear. Only pre requisite is it need ht bypass (line level input) balanced outs and atleast one balanced in
Quark Posted April 8, 2021 Posted April 8, 2021 A used Elektra Pnyx would be a bit over your budget if you can stretch it a little. Neutral sound, dead quiet, RCA and balanced inputs, HT bypass. You can tweak the sound by valve rolling (I'm not a fan of the standard Electroharmonix 6922s). The valves are also bypassed for HT. I'm not that familiar with the two DACs you're considering - will leave it to others to comment.
Paul R Posted April 9, 2021 Posted April 9, 2021 You can buy the Doge 8 Clarity (2021) direct from the manufacturer. This will come in probably a bit over $2k. I have the 2019 edition which did not have the HT bypass or the balanced out. The 2021 edition can be bought with these options. I cannot recall if the 2021 has balanced inputs (the 2019 does not). The SQ is exceptional for the price. Tube rolling is a must, though. Good luck with your quest. Paul
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