balanced battery tube pre streamer

I'm not sure exactly what you're arguing for, but I think I mostly agree with your individual observations regarding features that are important to achieving good sound and a functional system yet do not necessarily have to cost a fortune to realize well.

well said, mapman!

i just wanted to put this theme in the air cause imo this is the most logical needed product in the future but until now, nobody does it for various reasons:
the fine and small companies dont have the power to make a great GUI like the SB duet.
the big companies like linn dont add preamps to their streamers cause they want to sell separate preamps and gain more money.
why they still use ac powersupplys - i dont know, maybe they dont want to throw years of research and development into the waste bin (eg. Naim,Linn,ARC)
an easy to replace battery couldnt be a problem in customer acceptance - we do already have hybrid cars on the streets...

i also wanted to see if their is a single source trend.

i do believe - the more people read this - the faster this product will be in the air... for a nonhyped, nonesoteric, studioquality price.

Happy new year !

i´ve found some interesting firewire progear :

prism sound orpheus - open end best bang in the pro scene its a firewire dac monitor controller(preamp) - compares to weiss,dcs,lavry gold,nagra dac performance

battery powered(optional):
metric halo uln2 (older)
apogee ensemble

any experiences with those ?

Check out the integrateds with DAC on the Peachtree Audio Site.

Not battery powered but very much in line with your theme.

I saw once recently in a store but did not have time to audition. On my list of things to do someday.....