Best Sounding Tube Dac you ever heard.

kondo ongaku converter

The Thor DAC (DC-1000) is wonderful. At about $8,500 it's not inexpensive, but it sounds better than the SACD decks I've heard - and is neck and neck with similarly priced analog rigs (table + cartridge + phono-pre and cable). This product is fairly well known in reviewer circles and is highly respected.

The other unit that may be even better is the Florence Audio Technology "Tube DAC". At $12K with spartan cosmetics it is a stretch on the value side, but it is the closest thing to State of the Art analog that I have ever heard. At present, I think that there are fewer than three in existence, but it is a rare and wonderful piece of gear.

Why the obsession with tube output? If I'm correct, many of the tube outputs function as impedance matching buffers and NOT amplification devices. I can understand tube amps/preamps (I'm using Atma-sphere products myself) but let's not rule out solid state equipment carte blanche. I happen to LOVE Accuphase digital products. Happy Tunes!

The Kora Hermes is wonderful, especially if you change the tubes to 1960's Telefunken gold pin tubes, but there is also the new and wonderful Chrod 64 DAC and the Zanden DAC from Zanden Audio.

By the way, the Kora Hermes works best with a balanced digital cable