Another which DAC question to go with b&w and mac integrated

[jdog]

Hi Guys,

Pretty addicted to this forum and i do read a lot of useful information, and learning a lot!

Recently found and bought 803d (first gen) and also mcintosh ma6900 integrated to drive them.. I use a mac mini with a usb Keces dac 131 as the main source.  Currently Keces is doing an ok job, but it feels like it is the weakest link, and i think there is a room for improvement on dac department.

 

Your opinions on the following matters are greatly appreciated:

 

-If you have heard of this combo (803 with integrated mac) what would you recommend as a dac? Preferably would like to stay around or under 1k, and dont mind getting a used one..

-Should i really look for a balanced output on a dac as mac has the balanced inputs?

-do you know any stores around sydney where i can go and "borrow" some dacs to do some a/b listening?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for being the 7 millionth person to ask the same question on the forum, but the more i read, more i confuse myself
J

[Juicester]

Budget?

 

What file types do you predominantly play (24/96?)?

 

Do you want to be able to spin discs as well?

[jdog]

around 1k probably..

 

not interested in cds at this stage..

[nothing1]

I have the Eastern Electric Minimax Plus($1100) and highly reccomend it, it has a fantastic sound that is way above it price range and has the bonus of easily swaping opamps so you can tailor the sound for your own personal tastes and different equipment combinations, obviously this means that if you change your cd players, pre-amps, power amps or speakers and the sound is nolonger what you like you can swap the opamps and/or tubes to "re-tune" it. One of the reasons i bought this without hearing it first(yes i am mad) was the ability to be able to "tune" it, another very good reason was the fact that they hardly ever come on to the second hand market, wich to me is a sign that the people that buy the Minimax Plus are very happy with it. That now ends this presentation and we shall now return to our regular programing.

 

Mark