You can do a lot to shape the sound just with the rectifiers and input tubes.

You should throw a pair in a molten lava. The melding of the two. Flames and all.

Having done a number of shows in the past for a few different manufacturers, I totally agree with you. You have to sit down, use the equipment for an extended time and see what works and what doesn't and even, when it comes to headphones, for time for the ear pads to shape to your head for the...

One feature that would have been nice would have been to be able to adjust the negative feedback, which is very easy to implement.

I assume you are serious, but are you serious? It has an excellent sound stage that is layered with every good depth and width. I would try a different Elite.

This one is dedicated to just the dac.

When I built my DAC with the 1865 and on my speaker system, a few friends came over from time to time and just stare. They would look at me in disbelief. Now, with a Zotl output stage, I can only imagine what this will be like.

Rectiviers don't but if there is a bad rectifier, there can be an issue. It is ruling out any tube issues, including rectifiers. And I have heard distortion with rectifiers going bad as they could not supply the 1st stage of the rectified AC at spec. I use the Abyss with the B300MKII and no issues.

Almost sounds like, with those normal voltage outputs from the dacs, a power supply issue. Have you tried another set of rectifiers?

I like the cleaner sound of the DX260 and the Sony doesn't have very good power.

With the mesh off, I would imagine you also throw the timing off, with the highs arriving too soon.

Let them burn in

I built my own Dac using it. It was the best sounding Dac I have ever heard it was modeled after the $50,000. Audio Note Dac of the time. I even used audio note transformers. With a Zotl output, it should be great.

You would go with pads don’t breathe very much and with mesh that is not real open.

Having been in manufacturing, I normally go in higher, looking at the costs, the return and others most always come in lower and they go with that.