Rega DAC vs Musical Fidelity M1 DAC vs Audiolab M-DAC

[BluePotato]

Whats the thoughts on which is best? I'm looking to give my system a shot in the arm so am looking for a lively sounding DAC to add some sparkle to my set up which sounds good but not 'blow me away' good - a bit safe maybe.

Home demo's in Leeds proving tricky, Superfi don't seem to stock any of the 3.

 

[stevebrock]

I can't help but you need to listen to them all!

i preferred te Rega over the MF but you may not!

 

[plastic penguin]

Whats the thoughts on which is best? I'm looking to give my system a shot in the arm so am looking for a lively sounding DAC to add some sparkle to my set up which sounds good but not 'blow me away' good - a bit safe maybe.

Home demo's in Leeds proving tricky, Superfi don't seem to stock any of the 3.

If buying blind I'd deffo plump for Rega. Not heard the dac but the Apollo is a really good source with your kit.

Although the Audiolab has won the plaudits, previous experience of the brand is very mechanical to my ears.

 

[stevebrock]

Buy online then your are covered by distance selling regulations... Return in 7 days, failing that doug Brady and lintone audio all do 30 day returns.

get the Rega DAC it's ace!

 

[BluePotato]

theres a black buy it now on ebay for £350 = tempting

 

[stevebrock]

That's a good deal, one went for £380 last week so you would get your money back if it didn't suit!

i find it smooth, detailed and very non fatiguing, I have music on all day & night except to watch the news I love it, I have been buying so much music on cd recently.

i know miners partnered well with the Brio R amp, but it will go well with the Leema I'm sure!

 

[stevebrock]

Also 2 in auction, one silver and one black

 

[stevebrock]

Also 2 in auction, one silver and one black

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Not Heard the others, but my Rega DAC is a joy, if you can be in love with a piece of kit, then, i'm in love with mine!

It has a analogue sound, smooth, detaild, 4 hi-res inputs!

 

[rocketride]

If I would have to chose between those three units, Rega DAC would be chosen.

Honestly I think your system deserves even better front end. How about Exposure 2010s2 DAC or even M2Tech Young DAC. Second hand, why not?

 

[SteveR750]

I'd recommend you listen to a chord qute before buying anything.

 

[afterworks]

Whats the thoughts on which is best? I'm looking to give my system a shot in the arm so am looking for a lively sounding DAC to add some sparkle to my set up which sounds good but not 'blow me away' good - a bit safe maybe.

Home demo's in Leeds proving tricky, Superfi don't seem to stock any of the 3.

If buying blind I'd deffo plump for Rega. Not heard the dac but the Apollo is a really good source with your kit.

Although the Audiolab has won the plaudits, previous experience of the brand is very mechanical to my ears.

This.

I took the Rega and Audiolab home last week for demo after not feeling I was sure of either in the shop. The Rega, for me and my system was far nicer.

The Audiolab last 10 minutes before switching the Rega, and then the Rega not being returned.

I too found the Audiolab mechanical, brash and to be frank quite un listenable. I was quite shocked as I nearly bought the Audiolab blind based on reviews. This little experiance tought me the value of home demo.

 

[stevebrock]

I'd recommend you listen to a chord qute before buying anything.

The Qute is double the price of the Rega DAC maybe out of the OP budget

 

[BluePotato]

yep - stretching it going for the Rega even with the OH given I've just shelled out £2k setting the whole thing up!

I've brought home a mates long USB so I can connect via current set up wired rather via airport express/toslink to see if that changes anything

 

[stevebrock]

Keep us posted then?

 

[BluePotato]

just done a quick test - not difference from what i could tell.

 

[stevebrock]

At least you know!

Get the Rega!

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

I've listened to both and found very little difference, both very good and prefered both to the MF, may depend on the rest of your system to get discenable difference.

Good luck

 

[SteveR750]

just done a quick test - not difference from what i could tell.

Like I said, listen to the Qute before spending any money. If you think it's as good as it's supposed to be and I suspect it is, then given the Rega is blowing you away, then you might want to save up and wait for a proper upgrade.

 

[stevebrock]

just done a quick test - not difference from what i could tell.

Like I said, listen to the Qute before spending any money. If you think it's as good as it's supposed to be and I suspect it is, then given the Rega is blowing you away, then you might want to save up and wait for a proper upgrade.

are you saving up for a qute then? Yes for a £1000 I expect it will sound pretty good.....however the OP has already said he is pushing his budget with the Rega

i personally have heard the Qute through a naim pre amp, 2 mark levinson power amps and magnaplaner speakers and it sounded immense but I don't aspire to it as I cannot afford it!

 

[SteveR750]

just done a quick test - not difference from what i could tell.

Like I said, listen to the Qute before spending any money. If you think it's as good as it's supposed to be and I suspect it is, then given the Rega is blowing you away, then you might want to save up and wait for a proper upgrade.

are you saving up for a qute then? Yes for a £1000 I expect it will sound pretty good.....however the OP has already said he is pushing his budget with the Rega

i personally have heard the Qute through a naim pre amp, 2 mark levinson power amps and magnaplaner speakers and it sounded immense but I don't aspire to it as I cannot afford it!

That or the NAD. Depends on the NAD being better than the Chord when I audition it hopefully soon. Point is, don't waste your money on a tiny improvement, either save it till later when you can afford the bigger step, or just buy more CDs/tracks instead. To me, the jump from the dacmagic to the rega probably aint worth £100+ that'll I'll lose in the exchange.

 

[plastic penguin]

just done a quick test - not difference from what i could tell.

Like I said, listen to the Qute before spending any money. If you think it's as good as it's supposed to be and I suspect it is, then given the Rega is blowing you away, then you might want to save up and wait for a proper upgrade.

are you saving up for a qute then? Yes for a £1000 I expect it will sound pretty good.....however the OP has already said he is pushing his budget with the Rega

i personally have heard the Qute through a naim pre amp, 2 mark levinson power amps and magnaplaner speakers and it sounded immense but I don't aspire to it as I cannot afford it!

That or the NAD. Depends on the NAD being better than the Chord when I audition it hopefully soon. Point is, don't waste your money on a tiny improvement, either save it till later when you can afford the bigger step, or just buy more CDs/tracks instead. To me, the jump from the dacmagic to the rega probably aint worth £100+ that'll I'll lose in the exchange.

On the flipside, there is a number of people on here (including a dealer) who also say the Rega Dac is on par with the Saturn CDP. If that is the case, then that is some dac for the money. Having heard the Apollo, a decent step up from my Arcam, makes it one helleva converter.

 

[jerry klinger]

Just Google-resurrected this 6-week old thread.

I too listened to the M-DAC this week and agree strongly with one poster above - I found it grey, grainy, flat and sadly unmusical - an audiophile DAC for computer geeks. Equally irritating was its smartarse display which I couldn't get to switch off, and the rotary knob which doesn't feel like a volume control. Technically brilliant it may be, but you wonder what kind of systems pink fish readers own - and indeed most reviewers. 4/10

The Rega DAC is far better but has a tendency to sound glarey to me. Maybe I tried an early sample. 7/10

The Arcam rDAC, in its natural form, is very good but limited in terms of bass and soundstage. With a £35 Maplins switch-mode multi-adapter power supply, however, it's absolutely excellent. I fear there are a lot of people 'upgrading' from rDACs who haven't tried this. 8/10

Haven't tried the MF.

 

[Leehallam]

I have both Audiolab & Rega, there great dacs.

They sound different but both good you cannot go wrong with either the mdac sounds better with my caspian and the rega sounds good with both the caspian and the kandy. Overall I think the rega is better value for money.

Lee

 

[ifor]

Home demo is essential. I didn't listen to the Audiolab, but I chose the Arcam rDAC over the MF and the Rega in my[/b] system. It happened to be the cheapest, so it was quite a result.

I'm looking forward to a 2 week home loan of Graham Slee's "Big DAC" when it goes into production. Check out his Owners' Club Forum (you don't have to be an owner to join).