Balanced DAC without MQA - best performers?

[heavyheadbanger]

Best choice for what? Maybe compared to other R2R designs... doesn't seem to perform any better than cheaper D/S DACs. I considered this too along with Gustard but support in the US is non existent. At least I can go to Apos for stuff like Topping/smsl.

I'm sure Ares II is a great dac but I've read several saying it isn't purely transparent. maybe its more 'fun' or 'musical' or 'smoother' I just prefer not to add color to signal @dac stage since it leaves less options down stream. not gonna pretend to be an expert just think value and support are in question.

D30pro would steal the show if it was 300-350 but IMHO 400 missed the mark.. same as d90se... only offering MQA version is a HUGE miss and the main reason I landed on Geshelli apart from aforementioned support. I get that it costs more to make 2 products but forcing consumers to pay for MQA isn't really a solution either... especially something as devisive

I personally love my E30/L30 stacks for headphone/IEM's but my active monitors developed a nasty ground loop with E30 USB input so I'm trying a balanced setup for this reason alone. with all these super well measuring budget stacks around its hard to justify going balanced in this price range.

thoughts?

Excellent thoughts.
MQA isn't fully implemented across the industry, so what need is there for 0-15% of songs in that format?
Also why are they included in so many dacs.
This is now leading me to choose between D30 Pro and Ares II.

 

[Human Bass]

Best choice for what? Maybe compared to other R2R designs... doesn't seem to perform any better than cheaper D/S DACs. I considered this too along with Gustard but support in the US is non existent. At least I can go to Apos for stuff like Topping/smsl.

I'm sure Ares II is a great dac but I've read several saying it isn't purely transparent. maybe its more 'fun' or 'musical' or 'smoother' I just prefer not to add color to signal @dac stage since it leaves less options down stream. not gonna pretend to be an expert just think value and support are in question.

D30pro would steal the show if it was 300-350 but IMHO 400 missed the mark.. same as d90se... only offering MQA version is a HUGE miss and the main reason I landed on Geshelli apart from aforementioned support. I get that it costs more to make 2 products but forcing consumers to pay for MQA isn't really a solution either... especially something as devisive

I personally love my E30/L30 stacks for headphone/IEM's but my active monitors developed a nasty ground loop with E30 USB input so I'm trying a balanced setup for this reason alone. with all these super well measuring budget stacks around its hard to justify going balanced in this price range.

thoughts?

Ali Express will have nice discounts on this next Monday. You will be able to get the D30pro for around 352.

 

[jmaz87]

I'm always afraid to purchase anything of value from Companies like that since they aren't in the US in any capacity. If I have any issues they can just tell me to pound sand....

At least a re-seller like Apos has some accountability since they aren't trying to re-brand every few years like so many Chinese sellers of questionable history.

if this discount extends to other re-sellers that's HUGE NEWS