AA DDE v3.0 vs. newer stuff

Well I also use the same combo as you and found that it is very natural. Now I have the same setting for both my car and my home. I haven try the PT combo yet but as soon as I have enough money I will defenitely check the PT out. By the way what sort of voltage that PT gears is required

I agree with Ben, the AA stuff are more natural sounding,
than the PT stuff.

I had an AA 3.0 for a short while, but without the DTI. I replaced it with an MSB Link III, with mods by Channel Islands which made it equivalent to the Nelson Link, plus I had the upgraded Monolithic power supply. BIG IMPROVEMENT over the AA 3.0 in all areas. Sorry to say, the 3.0 was not even close.

I still own this combo, though it is not in use right now, and have owned the Dusty Vawter-modified DDE v3.0 and DTIPRO32. I now use the Perpetual Technologies P3A, stock with standard power supply in one system and ModWright modified with P1A and Monolithic Power Supply in the other. I think even the stock P3A with standard power supply would be a step up for you in terms of general refinement and soundstaging. You can often find that for $500-600 here on Audiogon, and even direct from PT it woudl be in your price range.
Rich

In the $1000 range I would guess it would still stand up well.
I had the same combo as you and it did better against a Linn Ikemi on rock but was well beaten on vocals and acoustic music.
I also tried it against an upsampling Link DAC with power base and found it at least held it's own against that.

Of course there may well be players in your price range that beat it so I would do your research and try to get a home demo on players you fancy.

It's your taste and your descision ultimately.