DACs under $3000 that compete with very good LP playback

[audiobomber]

The exaSound Playpoint and e32 Mk II replaced my turntable system (Heybrook TT2 with Hercules Mose PSU, Alphason Xenon arm with Cardas cable, A-T OC9ML II, Meitner STR50 Plus phono stage). I bought a NAS and ripped my vinyl to 88/24 with a Korg DS-DAC-10R, sold the preamp and turntable. Great move, I do not miss vinyl at all. They have newer versions of both of these, the Sigma streamer and e62 DAC.

exaSound Audio Design > Products > e62 DAC

But don't just take my word for it. The designer of Galibier turntables added an e32 to his reference system.

Exasound DACs - Galibier Design

And now for something completely different … auditioning DACs. Our neighbor, friend, and Positive-Feedback reviewer Lynn Olson brought over two Exasound DACs for this analog diehard to sample (pun intended). I’m a turntable designer, and many think of me as an analog only kind of fellow, but...

galibierdesign.com

 

[KeesNL]

Welcome to WBF, KeesNL!

Hoe gat het?

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the welcome and to react in dutch to how i'm doing; Dank je, het gaat goed. ( thanks, i'm doing fine )

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I don’t think there’s any dacs under $3000 that compete with very good lp playback.

 

[sbo6]

It depends what you mean by very good lp playback. The best of the best LP playback still has an edge on digital from what I last heard. But at $3K there are many excellent DACs that easily best analog partially because analog requires a TT, a cartridge a phono pre not to mention mats, isolation, etc. And then there's the cost of source material. A few very good DACs are the SchiitYggdrasil and the Denafrips Pontus. Or a used Ayre QB9 DSD is absolutely fantastic and will trump $3K analog setups IME. Enjoy!