Hyperion

Same same / Marcus

That's a bit too early to say, but so far the Mola Mola Tambaqui is showing great promise I have to say. I will do some benchmarking over the holidays side by side with APL DSD-MR (my absolute reference), MSB Premiere/Discrete DAC, CAD 1543 MKII, Ayre QX-5 and Lumin X1. As always, careful matching is key, where comparing these units in the same system will not generate any universal truths, as some DACs might perform better (or worse) in a different setting. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Comparing a R2R DAC such as the ones from Aqua etc. to any other topology will always end up in different opinions. To me, it's all about preferences rather than "this one is better than that one". Intellectually, other topologies might be superior in hifi-terms of resolution and transparency etc, but musically and emotionally, the R2R DAC's from Aqua, MSB and CAD etc. does bring organic qualities that makes the music more natural and engaging to many. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

We're receiving the Tambaqui this week here in Stockholm/Sweden. The Roon certification is still ongoing though. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Really...? I beg to differ :). The development within this area has been significant. The W20 is still SOTA though, especially if you're taking advantage of the possibility of using an external clock. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Listen first

If you're looking for a multichannel processor, you can exclude all other options discussed - yes :). I've heard good things about the Merging units, but never experienced them first hand myself. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

I'm still awaiting the Mola Mola Tambaqui, which hasn't yet been officially released (at least it's not shipping). / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

I've had the Chord DAVE here (briefly) as well as the Jeff Rowland Aeries earlier. The DAVE is great if you want "excitement" with a high level of drive, energy and resolution. The Aeries is a very nicely built unit as well, but rather dated within this relatively fast moving segment being >6 years old. It's also PCM only if that matters. The Ayre QX-5 is a permanent part of our collection, and one of my personal all-in-one digital units on the market right now. It's much more than a DAC though, and should be judged as such. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

Well, there's a reason for that ;). Try Google Translate if you're curious, or ask me anything that might interest you and I'll do my best to help.

We did actually demonstrate Mola Mola and Boenicke earlier this year at the High End Audio Show in Stockholm. A match made in audiophile heaven :). / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

If you're looking for and value the highest grade of neutrality, transparency and resolution above everything else of potential qualities in a system, the Mola Mola Tambaqui will be very, very hard to beat regardless of price based on my experience. R2R options from CAD, MSB etc. do offer other qualities that some prefer and might rate higher though. Some would call them more natural and organic sounding. In the end, proper system matching and personal opinion/taste is the only thing that matters. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

@Marcel073. Could you please tell us your actual price bracket/budget for a new DAC? The new Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC will retail at around €10.000. We've had the Mola Mola preamp here with the DAC-module which the free standing DAC is based on since last year. Presuming that the Tambaqui will be as good (or better) - which is certainly the goal - it belongs in a category above the PS Audio DS DAC (which we also carry) as well as the Benchmark and Auralic DACs. A direct competitor among the brands mentioned would be the MSB Discrete DAC (which we received last week btw). I would also look closer at the CAD R2R DAC which is among the most musical and natural sounding on the market imo. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

The volume can be adjusted using the web app from your mobile device. When the Roon Endpoint implementation is released, you will of course be able to control the volume through Roon as well. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

This is a true all-in-one system which should be compared to the likes of Kii or Grimm. The Dutch & Dutch 8C are soon to be "Roon Endpoint Ready", meaning that all you need to do is plug them into your home network (over Ethernet) running Roon on a server to enjoy music from Tidal etc. and/or stored music from a NAS or computer. To build a similar system with passive components on this elevated level with such unique characteristics under €10.000 would be a challenge, if not impossible. This is a system for the serious music lover who wants accuracy and simplicity on the highest level possible. The retail price for the Dutch & Dutch 8C reviewed in Europe is approx. €10.000. / Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se (proud importer of Dutch & Dutch in Sweden)