Mega Bucks and other Exotic DACs

Here's a thread for those dacs that are either extremely expensive or rare or combination of both. It's just a "For Your Information"(aka 6moons without the alien grammar) thread for everyone here to see what exist in the crazy audiophile world we live in. Please spend your money wisely and within your means.


Aries Cerat Kassandra
32 R2R(AD1865NK) Ladder DACS or 64 R2R Ladder DACs(Signature Edition)
E280F Supertubes. No off-the-shelf tube options and no rolling required
Extensive Choke regulation to eliminate PSU jitter
Internal superclock to which can be bypassed to show how much improvement in jitter can be had
All Custom components built in house or to spec for maximum sonic performance and zero lag in transients of which most tube based designs are known for.
120lbs/240lbs (60KG/120KG)
Price: $35k/ Signature Edition $82k





Power section of signature edition:



http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ll-Introducing-the-Kassandra-from-Aries-Cerat
http://aries-cerat.eu/products/digital-processor/kassandra-series

 

+1 for legos. The real fun would be taking that money and just using it as a house down payment.

 

here you go, best of both worlds*:

*butler sold seperately.

 

What's Swiss Made and REALLY expensive?

Request Audio's The Beast(Music Streamer with MSB DAC internally) $44000:






Technical Specifications

Type: Solid-state music server with built‑in storage optional DAC and Clock

Storage: 0.96 TB or 1.92TB SSD

Analogue Inputs: Balanced XLR Input (pass through or controllable) over the optional analogue Diamond Volume control.

Digital Inputs: None

DAC Resolution/Supported Digital Formats: DSD all 4 different formats, WAVE / FLAC 44.1 / 88.2 / 96 / 174.4 / 192 / 384 and 16bit / 24bit / 32 bit

Analogue Outputs: One stereo balanced (via XLR connectors), one stereo unbalanced (via RCA jacks)

Digital Outputs: coaxial S/PDIF (via RCA jack), TOSLink, PRO i2S, BNC

User Interface: 7‑inch display (on main unit), Apple iPad, iPhone, Android, PC or Mac

Other Features: UPnP server

Dimensions (HxWxD): 19cm×44cm×46cm



http://www.requestaudio.com/the-beast/

 

Since you brought up MSB, hop over and check out their select dac. $90k plus shipping. Let's not forget that their website features a picture of it with a gold anodized chassis, totally not tacky...

 

esoteric grandioso D1 monoblocks
http://www.soundstageultra.com/inde...og-converters-and-g-01-master-clock-generator

weiss medus
http://www.iglooaudio.co.uk/product/weiss-medus-da-converter/

totaldac
http://www.totaldac.com/prices.htm

 

People told me this is the most ** Dac on Earth (please don't go to check the price..)

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/weiss-maya.970

 

@Madaboutaudio, Just wow, it actually works and is playing "Modern Talking - You're My Heart, You're My Soul". I'm speechless...

 

THRAX Maximinus Ref DAC






http://www.thrax.bg/Maximinus.php

37000 New Zealand Dollar equals = 24207.81 US Dollar
pricing source:
http://www.audioreference.co.nz/pro...niversal-dsp-controlled-resistor-ladder-32384

Multibit conversion
25 bit resolution
4 quadrant sign magnitude operation
8 inputs (6 +2 optional)
Balanced outputs on RCA or XLR (selectable)
Transformer output
No I/V conversion or output buffers
No filtering after DAC
Total galvanic isolation of internal circuits from outside world
Operates at 32bit/384khz
Internal clock generators
Selectable recklocking
Selectable upsampling
Selection of 4 digital filters
Firmware upgradable
modular design for field upgrades
32/384 Asynchronous USB interface (option)
Sealed solid aluminium enclosure

 

I can't believe that Lampizator hasn't been mentioned. Not the most expensive dacs, but the hidden cost of replacing matched pairs or quads of DHT tubes certaiinly adds up over time.

 

Do you think they have a true 25 ENOB?

 

Hell no. 25 ENOB is well into the domain of the Digital Outer Gods and Great Old Ones.

 

A few not mentioned yet are DACs made by:

Deja Vu Audio
http://dejavu-audio.com/vintage-hi-fi.html

Silbatone
http://www.silbatoneacoustics.com/dac.html

Ypsilon
http://www.dagogo.com/ypsilon-dac-100-review

Kondo
http://www.blackforestaudio.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=45

Audio Note:
http://www.hifi.com.sg/journal/sview.asp?id=650

Trinity:
http://www.trinity-ed.de/typo/index.php?id=12&L=1

 

Is that the AN DAC that doesn't have a reconstruction filter?

 

Expensive and exotic at the same time:

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/attraction.htm

 

Do people actually buy that? €6k for CD only? It isn't even shielded from EMI by a chassis!

 

A few more by:

Tron
http://www.tron-electric.co.uk/digital/seven-dac/

Jadis
http://www.jadis-electronics.com/en/js2-mkiii-34.php

Valve Audio Devices
http://valveaudiodevices.co.uk/products/dac-12-r/

Vertex AQ
http://vertexaq.com/aletheia-dac-1-5/

EAR
http://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/e-a-r-acute-4dac-4-cdsacd-player/