All true guys. I think a DAC can make more of a difference than many may expect. If we stay on SS DS DACs then there is a flavour there IMO, bright camp, warm (dull) camp. Obviously huge generalisation but I found it holds water in my demos to date. Then the R-2R tubed camp that mostly stray away from both those traits. I am in that latter group, quite possibly forever. That is unless I hear something that blows my socks off and offers something more i.e. soundstage and detail BUT smooth delivery and an un-digital sound. I have recently heard a dCS stack, and had a day long demo on the CH Precision, and they are both in the detail camp but left me cold, bored and clock watching. Digital is so complicated, can be so damb good, but also so annoying / fatiguing.
I will try and get a demo on the DAVE this summer in the UK to check it out. The FPGA and Chord's own approach to it may be saying something new, so interested. My stubborn concern in the design if that DAC is the switching PS and my negative experiences of that type of supply, and the opp amp line stage. But never to judge it without hearing it, I hope it is something new personally.
Another DAC of interest may be the Aqua La Scala MK2 or the Aqua Formula. Seems on the money (£5.5K & £9K) and has discrete digital boards, the La Scala a tube hybrid line stage.
In looking for opinions on various DACs and the posts in this forum and elsewhere, I try to understand (if supplied) how it is fed at the source. I have found that can change things a lot, maybe more than the difference from an ok DAC and a great DAC for example., especially if fed by a PC / Streamer that is not optimised.
There is a point of view at the 'other place', that there is no point in spending over 3K on any DAC right now as digital is moving fast again into new areas. I can understand that view. I have a personal comfort zone on digital, and if I moved DAC anytime, it would be a like for like budget.