Audio Mirror vs Prima Luna tube DAC

cal3713, you’ve got the right idea. I set a $3K ceiling and tried 2 DACs.
Lowered ceiling to $2K and tried the QuTest (often called DAC to beat under 2K). Tried QuTest and ruled it out (no difference again).

How’ed I arrive at Schiit Gumby? Just like all the others - online reviews, research.
Denafrips Ares or Pontus
VS
Schitt Bifrost or Gungnir
are my next 2 sub $2K DACs to try.

Want a silver colored DAC, that ruled out Ares.
Want the DAC within a week or two, that ruled out the Bifrost.
Pontus coming from overseas with MASSIVE amount of hardware parts.
Hardware looks impressive, why so many parts (others noted this).
Schiit made in USA, well reviewed, readily available, & cheaper.

I know someone that I think will loan me a cheaper Schiit model so I can compare it to the Gumby (not sure what model he’s got).

The vast majority of online reviews are from folks with some vested interest in whatever DAC they are reviewing- paid reviewer who's not going to trash a product OR already own the product. 

Torq & Hands over at superbestaudiofriends seem like valid reviewers.
Not every DAC gets a good/great review.  

Same with AmirM over at audiosciencereview.  This guy seems to be loved by some, hated by many.  He seems to just base his reviews on measurements, not actual listening tests. 

Hands review of Denafrips Pontus:
https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/denafrips-pontus-dac-impressions.5086/
The Denafrips importer pulled his DACs after getting bad reviews from Torq and Hands (see the 2nd post from Alvin, Vinshine Audio & US imported of Denafrips products).

Hands review of Audio-GD19:
https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/audio-gd-singularity-19-dac-comprehensive-re...

Thanks for the information, I will try to figure it out for more. Keep sharing such informative post.

Best bang for my buck I ever spent on audio related stuff (a book):
https://www.getbettersound.com/store

I have no affiliation with the author Jim Smith. For less than $50 his book is a no brainer.
Smith’s advice: other than speakers, your ROOM makes the biggest impact on sound quality.
Stop chasing components- get your room setup as correctly as possible.

@jerry2021  You're always evaluating a system... and how different components sound within it. 

I personally auditioned a number of different DACs at the same time within my system and did indeed hear differences, as did a blinded co-listener.  We both agreed on the winner, which wasn't the most expensive or the cheapest.  I did not level match though, so maybe we just both picked the loudest (or softest, or whatever).    

If you can't hear the differences, there's no reason to chase the dragon, but that also doesn't mean that others aren't hearing them.  

People on this site like to state that product X is better than Y and pretend that's always the case, when in fact X was better than Y "to their ears in their system (and in their room)."  

In your system and to your ears, X = Y.  There's nothing wrong with that at all.