Anybody tried EMM DCC2 into preamp?

I'm with Jjwa on this one. I thought my Aesthetix Calypso was much better than the DCC2 as a preamp..........until the DCC2 broke-in and I added the CDSD. The DCC2 with the CDSD is anything but thin or veiled. It took quite a long time to open up, but when it did it is marvelous. I decided to add tubes in my power amplification stage in the form of the VAC Phi 220 monoblocks.

Any updates on this thread? Has anyone else tried the DCC2 in a high quality preamp?

How would the preamp section of the DCC2 compare say against the VTL 7.5 or ARC Ref 3? Or the new CAT preamp? I want a fully balanced preamp if there are any other contenders I missed (I know I have).

I've been nothing but smiles since adding my VAC Phi 220 monos and their sound quality is tempting me to try the VAC Phi 2.0 Master Controller as my preamp and use the DCC2 strictly as a dac. Or try one of the aforementioned preamps. I feel the only *possible* source of component improvement would be trying a separate state of the art preamp. I would be adding another set of interconnects and passing the signal through an additional component. A step backwards perhaps? I'm going to try to get a loaner on one the preamps mentioned and give a listen.

Which tube preamp Saxman2?