Looking for recommendations on a dac and preamp with balanced outputs to pair with PSAudio M700’s. Gifting my old system to my daughter and need these two components to complete the system.
Budget is $1000 ~ !500 max. Personal preference is for new components.
One option is Schiit Audio’s ‘Bifrost’ and ‘Freya S’.
Any experience with the above combo or other suggestions that fellow forum members may have would be appreciated.
2 options are a Parasound P6 preamp and a PS Audio SGCD. Both are reasonably priced and sound good for their price.
Used SGCD at TMR-just over $1K? I’ve been very happy with my SGCD, which I paired first with M700s and then upgraded to M1200s.
total for a new dac and pre-amp with balanced outputs?
seems unlikely
Schiit Bifrost and Freya S combined new $1400 . Both have balanced outputs.
@adifferentpaul and @rcf051. I previously had the SGCD in my system that I sold when I upgraded to the BHK preamp and DSD Sr. I enjoyed listening to it.
The one that TMR has on their site has a misaligned top and bottom chassis plate that I find visually disturbing.
I love my Freya + but I hardly ever use the tube stage. If I had it to do over I would go with the S. I use passive stage almost exclusively. Completely transparent to my ears.
How about just a high performance DAC with volume control? Okto dac8 stereo punches above its weight IMO and is in your price range.
Michael
You might also consider a $399 Schiit Jotunheim. It’s the same size as the Bifrost. Or you can add a USB only DAC card for $100-$200 USB. The Modius is also the same footprint and balanced out. Paired with the Jot you’re looking at less than $700 delivered. A bonus for the Jot and Bifrost is a 5 year warranty. Modius is 2.
Lucky young lady to have such a nice Dad!
Look into the Nuprime DAC-10 which is a comibination DAC and preamp in a half size chassis and is designed to work with their Class D amps. I ran the combination of the DAC-10 and the ST-10 for several years in a secondary system and enjoyed it with no quirks or issues. Contact Aamir at Summit HiFi, who is also the Eversolo distributor, and see if you can work out a better price. It just recently went up from $1499. SE and XLR outputs in addition to digital and two analog inputs.
…well, I’ll be…
is Freya sufficient power for a pair of M700s, which have a 23W idle power consumption each while the Freya consumes 12W?
price on that site…$ 1,749.00+$250 (DAC-10H)
notable
from the Okto manual…
Low output impedance allows the unit to directly drive inputs of power amplifiers without the need for a pre-amplifier.
$1,421
Yes, exactly.
Stereophile confirmed the spec’d 50 ohm output impedance. It also has exceptionally low noise. Basically everything you want to drive power amplifiers directly.
In this price range I think a DAC with volume control makes more sense than a DAC and a preamp. Of course if @Sohail needs a preamp for analog sources than a DAC alone is a no-go.
Michael
Thanks to all for the suggestions. It appears there are quite a few options.
I’m not quite sure I understand what you mean!
Was trying to be sure on behalf of purchaser that the Freya would work with M700s
How about that Eversolo A6 we’re discussing in the other threads?
Seems you have your answer, as there isn’t much out there new at hat price point worth pairing with the M700 IMO.
Yes. Agreed.
That’s enough to get her going. The rest is up to her how much she would like to upgrade down the road.