daveinla

I was quoted $1,000 too. I like my aurrender, but the network board sounds very promising. $1500 may need some more thought. Though encouraged to hear sounded better than the DCS bridge.

Is MQA also coming soon?

Agreed. im liking the album art and app more

My DSD still sounds great Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

Somewhat related. I just auditioned a Denali 6000t and plugging my N100h into that made a nice difference. I've considered the DCS but my Bricasti can't take dual AES and a single wouldn't allow DSD. Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

True - I'm watching that too. But technically not under $10k, but it does save a pre-amp

I agree with the aurender recommendation. I have the 100h. It sounds a lot better than my tweaked Mac mini ... the mac had collected dust since.

I have the Bricasti SE. Beware of other folks comparisons to the bricasti as it will depend what version and upgrades. SE is the latest with all the updates. I put it in my dealers rig and compared it to a Rossini - fairly similar in sound with a bit more space created by the DCS. Sure the DCS sounded better, but it was close in sound (not in budget) and we both liked the sound of the bricasti. I'm sticking with mine .... I also auditioned a Berkeley Alpha reference dac, but that was more dry and not a match to my system.

I am just trialing an Aurender N100S with my M1 and wow, a lot better than my mid-2011 tweaked Mac Mini. Much quieter and fuller sounding in the mids. Spoke to my dealer to order one .... still wondering what an N10 would be like (usual Audiophile angst). The only thing I miss is Roon, but I hear that is coming to the Aurender sometime.

I have a mid-2011 Mac Mini i5 with 8GB ram, a bunch of SW tweaks, music on a FW drive with the power isolated and have Audirvana, Amarra and Roon. I recently got an Aurender n100s on loan .... much better (I notice a better mid-range as well as more organic/smoother high freq). I will be ordering an Aurender, but will miss Roon. I hear that is coming to the Aurender platform later. The Aurender interface and integration with Tidal is excellent. Tidal sounds fantastic through the Aurender. Best of all, I can't hear my Mac Mini fan during late night listening.

Sorry - iPhone showed thread out of sequence ... My bad

You didn't list the best one, IMO .... Roon

I don't find the M1 lean at all. In fact I'd call it slightly warm and full sounding compared to some dacs. However, your saying comparatively speaking ....

My source is a Mac Mini which is a dedicate audio only and optimized SW and(SSD with music stored on firewire drive. I use a Platinum WW USB cable and the Regen is plugged directly into the M1 with the solid adapter. The difference was large on my last setup. I will try it again and get my wife in the hot seat.

I tied the Regen on my new today Bricasti M1 and struggle to hear a difference. On my previous dac, even when using the Audiophilleo 2 with Pure Power it made a very noticeable improvement. I read another M1 owner heard and improvement .... do they have the latest updates to their M1? I'll try it again in a few days.....