[amf123]

As the title says, I'm looking to upgrade my current desktop system and and for days and days have read pages of information.  I have read so much I have totally confused myself and I'm hoping someone might be able to put things into perspective for me.  Lets start at the beginning, I run Fidelia on my iMac which with mostly lossless files and am acquiring more and more 24/192khz files as each day passes.  So the USB out will be my source.  My headphones are Denon D7000, I enjoy them greatly and these will be keepers for the foreseeable future. Genres of music are mainly rock, metal and electronic. Budget runs up to £1000 give or take. I like my music presented on the bassier side of things so if the amp/DAC has a warmer presentation that isn't a problem for me.  Hopefully thats the basics covered.
 
Ok.  So here are the contenders.  
 
1) Naim DAC-V1  (second hand)  (current leader)
2) NAD D1050 (This is supposed to have a strong low end which appeals)
3) Denon DA-300 USB  (simply because it's Denon and might suit the cans)
4) Schiit Asgard 2/Bitfrost combo  (no personal experience with anything by Schiit but seem to have a good rep)
5) Oppo HA1  (Looks a very interesting product but very new and slightly over budget)
6) I am also currently enamoured by the SPL phonitor.  While over budget and probably impractical, it is the most amazing       looking headphone amp I have ever seen.  
 
They're all pretty scattered about price wise and the only ones I can audition locally are the Denon and the Naim but the store would have to special order them in for me to do so.  As I have no intention of buying from the store I feel a bit cheeky asking them to do this.
 
Please help ease my confusion.

 

[KG Jag]

There is an entire sub-section of the forum that is devoted to full sized amps.  That is probably a better pond in which to fish than here.

 

[cel4145]

Audio-GD Compass 2 supports exchanging the DAC chips. So you could order the extra chips with it, and then tweak the amp/dac to suit your listening tastes.

 

[amf123]

I would have posted in the the other sub-section but there are big red letters at the top telling you not to.  Unfortunately due to the response, or lack of, it appears people seem to read that forum instead of this one LOL.  I'll try there next time

 

[KG Jag]

You've been a member here from longer than I have.  You know that there are different ways to approach an issue.  Using that flexibility to avoid an orthodoxy that just does not make sense, itself makes sense.

 

[cel4145]

Unfortunately due to the response, or lack of, it appears people seem to read that forum instead of this one

That would be an inaccurate assumption that you would see if you look at the activity in this forum. Logic dictates that not every question will get answered here, but it's still the appropriate first place to try for many people and many questions. It just didn't work out for your question.

 

[KG Jag]

When you ask about an expensive out of production can and how it pairs with very specific equipment, it does not make a great deal of sense that a general information thread--covering soup to nuts--is a good place for getting the best and most answers.