Rating of the Best Upper Echelon Digital-to-Analog Converters

It is digital audio technology that is developing at the fastest pace, so even a savvy audiophile can easily get lost in the sea of ​​offers. Want to understand which newest digital-to-analog converter deserves attention if you are really sensitive to sound quality? Our buyer's guide to DACs of the beginning of 2025 will help.

Schiit Audio Gungnir 2

Pros - surprisingly detailed sound

The latest version of the Gungnir 2 DAC has been radically rethought in comparison with the first version of the device. The Gungnir 2 offers truly “mature” sound with an abundance of detail and crystal clear presentation, which does not fit with the price of the device. From an engineering point of view, everything is fine - Multiform balanced multibit architecture. (four medical or defense grade DAC8812C D/A and time- and frequency-optimized digital filter managed on an Analog Devices SHARC DSP running 8X oversampling; non-oversampling mode also exists), two USB inputs (one high-rate Unison 384), and a completely modular design.

Eversolo DMP-A10

Pros – great functionality, solid sound

DAC from Eversolo, which replaced the well-known DMP-A8 model. The fully balanced Eversolo DMP-A10 has a built-in streaming module (there is support for streaming services such as Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, etc.), a pre-amplifier unit with an equalizer and its own room acoustics correction technology. Information about albums is displayed on a gorgeous 6.5” built-in display – it’s a pleasure to operate the new product (the proprietary Global Music Search function is especially impressive, which allows you to search for music on several streaming platforms at once). The ESS ES9039PRO chip and armor-piercing design (the record-breaking signal-to-noise ratio of 130 dB seems like a real deal) guarantee a natural and harmonious sound delivery.

Jadis Electronics JS2 SL

Pros - the purest "mercury" sound

The updated Jadis Electronics JS2 SL tube DAC is now based on the flagship Sabre ES9038PRO DAC chips from ESS Technology, using 32-bit Hypertream technology. The new DAC is equipped with four digital inputs controlled by a microcontroller and is capable of decoding digital streams in PCM format with parameters up to 24/192 from all inputs (or DSD only via USB). The heart of the system is a balanced tube cascade with a cathode follower on four double ECC82 triodes. The power supply uses a large power transformer with an E-shaped core, providing a significant power reserve. The model demonstrates a truly rich and powerful sound with a natural timbre picture, a genuine black tone and excellent separation.

Weiss Engineering DAC502

Pros – incredible performance characteristics, glossy presentation and amazing microdynamics

Many experts call Weiss Engineering DAC502 the standard in the world of modern digital audio, and we completely agree with this. The device uses a pair of 32-bit ESS Sabre chips and an analog power supply of excess power with dedicated stabilizers for each part of the circuit. The network switch is implemented on an electronic relay, there are two network transformers, separately for each channel. The device accepts signals up to PCM 32/384, DSD128 and clearly shows what the power and strength of High End sound is, which is hard to tear yourself away from. The device's measurements correspond to the reference level.

dCS Varèse

Pros – no words here!

For $305,000, you can expect a dream come true - and the ultimate D/A-conversion system from dCS is ready to offer such an approach. With dCS Varèse, the company is aiming for a level of audio quality that surpasses anything it has ever created. Varèse is made up of five components: the main streaming and processing unit, two mono DACs (one for each audio channel), a dedicated user interface unit, and an external clock generator for all components of the system, with an SACD/CD optical disc transport to follow later this year. At the heart of this ambitious project is a suite of new technologies, including the biggest update to the company’s Ring DAC architecture in a decade. It also features a new proprietary dCS Tomix clocking technology and a special interface for transmitting audio, control, and clock signals between components called Actus, which helps reduce jitter while improving linearity, reducing noise, and eliminating crosstalk.