Musician Delphinus, This Affordable R2R DAC Has Serious High-End Flavor.

The Musician Delphinus is a simple, straightforward R2R DAC that focuses on sound quality instead of trying to be everything at once. It does not have a built-in streamer, and honestly, I think that may work in its favor. In this review, I talk about how the Delphinus compares with other DACs in its price range, including the "Gustard Audalytic DR70n", "Topping D70 Pro Sabre", "Topping D70 Pro Octo", "SMSL DO200", and the "Geshelli J3S". I also discuss how close it gets to its bigger Musician siblings, including the "Pegasus II" and "Pegasus III". What impressed me most was the Delphinus’ natural R2R character. It is detailed without sounding sharp, smooth without sounding dull, and slightly warm without becoming overly soft. Add in excellent connectivity, balanced outputs, a remote, and very solid build quality, and this becomes a serious value DAC. If you are looking for a musical, engaging, no-nonsense DAC that delivers a lot of the Musician house sound at a much more approachable price, the Delphinus deserves your attention. • If you are interested in purchase a Delphinus, please consider using this Aoshida affiliate link: https://aoshida-audio.com/products/mu... OR Use this Amazon Link and avoid any potential issues: https://amzn.to/4faJNUt • If you wish to join the channel please click here:    / @oldguyhifi   • Community Post Playlists:    • Post   All of my reviews are completely subjective. I do not accept payment for reviews. *DISCLOSURE: Some of the links below contain affiliate links from Skylabs Audio, Amazon, eBay or other resellers. If you purchase with those links, I do receive a small commission but, it doesn't affect your price or your ability to return something. My Reference Set up includes: • Advance Paris A12 Classic: https://shop.skylabsaudio.com?sca_ref... • Black Ice Audio F22 KT88 Integrated Tube Amp: https://blackiceaudio.com/integrated-... Speakers: • Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 Speakers: https://amzn.to/3WberDp • Martin Logan Impression 11 ESL: https://www.martinlogan.com/en/produc... • Magnepan LRS+: https://magnepan.com/collections/buy-... DACs: • LAIV Harmony R2R DAC: https://www.laiv.audio/harmony-dac • Douk Audio Q100 Fully Balanced Desktop DAC: https://doukaudio.com/products/douk-a... • Singxer SDA-6 PRO2 AKM DAC: https://aoshida-audio.com/products/si... DDC/Re-Clockers • Singzer SU-2: https://apos.audio/products/singxer-s... • LAiV μDDC: https://www.laiv.audio/harmony-uddc • Douk Audio U2 Pro (2025): https://amzn.to/3WfNKy8 Streamers: • Audirvana is my primary streaming platform. 30 day free trial here: https://audirvana.com/try/ • Atoll MS120 Streamer DAC: https://www.paragonsns.com/products/a... • Cambridge MXN10: https://skylabsaudio.com/products/cam... CD Transports/Players • Shanling CT90 CD Transport: https://forte-distribution.com/produc... • ONIX Zenith XST20 Top-loading SACD/CD transport: https://forte-distribution.com/produc... Analog: • Fluance RT-84 turntable: https://amzn.to/4aMuZrt. • Black Ice Fusion 9 MKIII Tube Phono Preamplifier: https://blackiceaudio.com/preamplifie... • Audio Technica AT-OC9XEN MC Cart: https://amzn.to/3C0PCna Accessories/Cables: • IsoAcoustics Isolation Products: https://skylabsaudio.com/collections/... • Cabling by VIABLUE: https://viablue.de/en/. • Cabiling by WireWorld: https://www.theaudiolegacy.com/collec... Desktop gear: • LAiV Crescendo Verse: https://www.laiv.audio/crescendo-verse • Fyne F5E: https://upscaleaudio.com/products/fyn... • Cambridge Audio MXW70: https://skylabsaudio.com/products/mxw... • ISOAcoustics Aperta Series Stands: https://skylabsaudio.com/products/iso... • Sound Solver, Large Desktop HiFi Audio Rack: https://sound-solver.com/products/des... Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:35 Review Outline 01:24 Get to the point! 02:29 Product description 03:23 Features That Matter 08:20 Close up look 12:37 Build Quality 13:18 Review System 14:47 I listen for four main things 15:37 Overall Sound Character 16:46 Soundstage and Imaging 17:48 Comparisons 23:07 A Note About Buying Online 24:22 Final Thoughts 25:55 Outro