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(2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

Alpha Design Labs by Furutech Esprit USB DAC/Headphone Amplifier/Preamplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

ADL EspiritPrice: $899

Website: www.furutech.com

Vince said: The ADL Esprit is best suited for use in a computer desktop system, and excelled in that role. In fact, when it was hooked up to my computer, I was never so excited to get to work, knowing that I had a great music system to listen to through my headphones. As your system grows, you can pair the Esprit with a power amp for a killer budget two-channel rig.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Could form the heart of a small, but high-quality system.

Arcam rBlink DAC-Bluetooth Digital Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

Arcam rBlinkPrice: $250

Website: www.arcam.co.uk 

Jeff said: The Arcam rBlink is a great little product that doesn’t ask much of its owner. It’s more about expanding your musical enjoyment than causing hassle. I wish that could be said of all high-end audio.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Stream everything to your stereo.

Audioengine W3 Wireless DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

Audioengine W3Price: $149, one Sender, one Receiver; $89, each additional Receiver

Website: www.audioengineusa.com

Doug said: Honest-to-goodness, CD-quality, wireless sound for $149. No interference problems, even in the dense RFI soup of a large apartment complex. Ultrasimple setup -- just plug in the W3 Sender and Receiver and you’re ready to move your music anywhere you need it within a reasonable range. In fact, you can send your music to up to three W3 Receivers simultaneously. Simple, inexpensive, functional -- both thumbs way up.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Wireless DAC that has no drawbacks at the price.

AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

AudioQuest DragonFlyPrice: $249

Website: www.audioquest.com

Doug said: The AudioQuest DragonFly is a high-bang-for-the-buck Reviewers’ Choice, and an easy recommendation for anyone on a tight budget who’s looking to move computer-based music playback to the next level.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Don’t let the size and price fool you -- this is a great little DAC.

Autonomic Controls Mirage MMS•5A Media Server

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

Autonomic Controls Mirage MMS•5APrice: $4250

Website: www.autonomic-controls.com

Sathyan said: Supplemented with a high-quality USB DAC and an iOS (or, soon, Android) device for queue management, Autonomic Control’s Mirage MMS•5A can handily beat a computer in ease of use and reliability for local playback. Its user interface and library-management facilities are excellent for file-based audio. As delivered, however, I feel it overpromises and underdelivers in terms of sound quality.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Expensive for what it offers, and built more for the custom-install crowd.

Bel Canto Design e.One DAC3.5VB Mk.II / REFLink / VBS1 / VB REF

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Bel Canto DesignPrice: $7080

Website: www.belcantodesign.com

Jeff said: As for sound, the Bel Canto stack stacks up well against the DACs that many feel are among the best available, and at less than Arab-sheik prices. They’re sonically very well balanced across the board, but are simply superb in the midrange, where lots of music needs it most. Although the Bel Cantos won’t beat every competing product in every sonic area -- what high-end component does? -- they can stand toe to toe with the best of them, and offer their owner a beautiful view into the heart of the music.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Modular digital front end that gets the midrange just about perfect.

Bel Canto Design e.One mLink USB Digital Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components

Bel Canto Design e.One mLinkPrice: $375

Website: www.belcantodesign.com

Roger said: Its improvement of transparency, imaging, and low-level detail make it a cost-effective upgrade for $375. If your digital audio system doesn’t already include USB input and you’re thinking of adding a USB converter, a Bel Canto mLink would be an excellent place to start.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Got a DAC without USB input?

Benchmark Media Systems DAC2 HGC DAC-Preamplifier-Headphone Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2013) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Benchmark DAC2 HGCPrice: $1995

Website: www.benchmarkmedia.com

Hans said: The DAC2 HGC uses one of the best digital chipsets on the market today to produce a quality of sound that, until a few years ago, wasn’t available for less than $10,000. It sounds far more refined than its $1995 price would suggest, and when you consider that it can serve as the keystone of a digital and analog system, on a desktop or in a listening room, it becomes all the more remarkable.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Follow-up to the highly successful DAC1.

  1. Bryston BDA-2 Digital-to-Analog Converter
  2. Cambridge Audio Azur 851C CD Player-DAC-Digital Preamplifier
  3. EMM Labs DAC2X Digital-to-Analog Converter
  4. Esoteric D-07X Digital-to-Analog Converter
  5. Esoteric P-02 SACD/CD Transport
 and D-02 Digital-to-Analog Converter
  6. Hegel Music Systems HD25 Digital-to-Analog Converter
  7. Magnum Dynalab MD 806T Internet Radio Tuner
  8. Mass Fidelity Relay DAC-Bluetooth Digital Converter
  9. Music Culture Elegance MC 501A CD player-DAC
  10. NuForce Air DAC iWireless System and Air DAC uWireless System D/A Converters
  11. Oppo Digital BDP-103 Blu-ray Player
  12. Oppo Digital BDP-105 Blu-ray Player
  13. Resonessence Labs Concero Digital-to-Analog Converter
  14. Simaudio Moon Neo 380D Digital-to-Analog Converter

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