Article: My Quest for a New DAC, Part 3 - Denafrips Terminator

[feelingears]

This is exactly the kind of review I enjoy reading because most of the time, it is all about trade-offs: air and space vs. museum, etc. (Read: timbre, reverb rendering vs. soundstaging; or PRAT vs. tubes; or whatever.) Thank you, @austinpop ??

 

I too have weighed the same choices you describe over various recordings and tuned my system to my preferences. A shame you don't have the A2 Yggy as I've read it does for the foundational bass and mid-range body what the original lacks. I had the MB Gungnir, which some say is very similar to the Yggy, but I found it a very different animal than Yggy A2. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts when your friend gets his back. I'd loan you mine, but it doesn't want to travel! ?

 

And further to your point about trade-offs: I recently had the unexpected pleasure of hearing a healthy six-figure McIntosh and Magico system in a tuned, five-figure room at a dealer back East. It was supremely Magico-l, to be sure. But, I did not come home feeling like I'm lacking in any way–indeed, having that reference experience reinforced my (great) satisfaction with my trade-off choices for my system. Something I think you make an effort to point out in your review. We all know there are financial diminishing returns in this hobby, but that doesn't mean the emotional curve must match; quite the opposite can be true.

 

Thanks again! Can't wait for more–keep the musical/recording comparisons coming!