CD player output via DAC chips vs tube tech

6922 not so much.

From tnt-audio.com review

" There are balanced as well as single ended outputs. Actually I should say 'output stages' as both sets of outputs have their own complete set of output stages, with the single ended ones even equipped with a 6922 valve while the balanced outputs use opamps ".

Aldo, from Underwood HIFI

" The balanced output employs 4 x Burr Brown OPA-627 opamps, the best made. Tubes are two Electro Harmonix 6922s. "

How does that align with your narrative above - DAC chips vs tubes?

That’s exactly what he said right? Unbalanced has the tubes, balanced has the burr browns plus oppamps. Apparently the unbalanced sounds better because of the tubes. Nice! I also just got my tube CD player and I absolutely love it!

Don't think so " "The CD-3000 uses the best Burr Brown DAC, the PCM-1794"  ,  that sends the signal to both outputs, one has opamps the other tubes

The opamps are in BOTH channels.AFAIK
also agree the BB 1794 is world famous as best DAC chip ,, or so says Underwoods web site,
But trust me the balanced DAC BB chip sounds like crap next to the unbalanced RCA outs, 
Massive sonic dif.
I havea  Cayin cd17 Mark1, with both unbalanced /balanced out,, in my 16 yrs usage,, i never once considerned employing balanaced circuit... i made a few upgardes in front cap section and on last caps of unblanaced,, The sound is 1st class.
Same here with this S3. 
The unbalanced which has the ops in the unbalanced circuit (not sure what Underwood is thinikng saying the ops are for the balanced/DAC circuit,,cause he is wrong). 
The unbal sounds far far superior
= Tube outs on a cd player woops any DAC, 
Hands Down..

The Burr Brown 1794 is the DAC chip on both the balanced and unbalanced the only difference is the output stages. One uses ompamps the other tubes. 

Glad you get it , not sure what he keeps missing

Also, no one is doubting that you like the sound of the unbalanced output with the tubes  better than the balanced with the opamps, but the unbalanced isn't devoid of the DAC which you keep trying to contend.

and thats also true, the DCA chips has something to say in the unbal outs, Look the Cayin 17 has the same design as the S3. So I read what Underwood mentions, about ops are for balanced,,so i took out all opamps,, and the circuit coughed up badly,,so if the ops in the cayin voice through the tube unbal circuit= same as S3
I really need to know before hand, as i plan to order Sparksolab Descrete ops,, I believe Underwwod mentions some (all?) are doubles, Andrew fetches $70 each for the doubles..
Its a hefty price for 12 ops,, that is if the ops voice little value in the tube unbal circuit.
I plan to take it to  Richard Gray and see if he can tell me worth swapping out stock ops for Sparloslab.

Lets say it take all duals
12X$70
See what I mean, thats 3/4 the cost of what i acutally paid for the C3.
The Sparkoslab decrete made a very nice pop in the Cayin 17(has 6 ops),,which had BBopa627's in it,, these were top dawgs back in the day.
They are now obsolete with Sparksolab Descrete Ops on the market. 
Sparksolab Descrete murdered off Burr Brown ops. 

" so like yeah, DAC vs tubes "
" = Tube outs on a cd player woops any DAC "
Maybe you're not familiar with them but there are tube based standalone DACs . I'm listening to my 2nd system right now with a Modwright Elyse R2R tubed based (6922) DAC. There's any of a number of others - MHDT DACs, Aqua Acoustics LaScala, Lamipzator DACs, Border Patrol, to name a few brands.

Also , there are many solid state DACs that sound as good as if not better than tube DACs . I have a Mojo Audio DAC in my main system doesn't take a back seat to my tube DAC.

Maybe you're not familiar with them but there are tube based standalone DACs . I'm listening to my 2nd system right now with a Modwright Elyse R2R tubed based (6922) DAC. There's any of a number of others - MHDT DACs, Aqua Acoustics LaScala, Lamipzator DACs, Border Patrol, to name a few brands.

Also , there are many solid state DACs that sound as good as if not better than tube DACs . I have a Mojo Audio DAC in my main system doesn't take a back seat to my tube DAC.

^^^^^ 
OK you got me, 
Yes I was completely unaware of any of the tube dacs you mention. 
Thanks for your kind imput,,I'll take a  look at the units you mentioned.
But as for SS DACs,, I'm a  tube guy, just neurotic about having a  tube in every component.

I get it , I have 3 tube integrated amps, a tube preamp and a tube DAC. My point about the solid state DACs was simply to not judge the SQ that you can get from one because of your disappointment with the SS output stage in your Shanling

there are numerous ways to implement a vacuum tube in the circuitry of a dac

the devil is ALWAYS in the details, circuit, tube, associated parts, associated circuitry, power supply, isolation - all of it works together and each element interrelates with others to produce the sound - examples:

gary dews’ border patrol unit uses the ez80 tube rectifier in the power supply section only - not the amplification stage

jiun-hsien at mhdt uses his single 5670 dual triode as a buffer in the output circuit of the orchid/stockholm/pagoda etc etc, main amplfication is actually solid state, the buffer circuit provides a 10-15% lift and a little tubey flavor - the jolida guys do the same with their FX tube dac but they use 12ax7’s one for each channel

vlad at audio mirror runs his 5977 sub miniatures as the actual driver of his tubador’s output stage... thus the tube circuit is providing the full gain and impedance match to the receiving preamp/amp

frank van alstine in his lovely old FET TOPP dacs used 12ax7’s in his main driver stage, one for each channel

so it depends... one needs to understand in detail what you are dealing with, what you are listening to, how it will or won’t affect the sound - each designer makes decisions based on his objectives for sound, cost, reliability and so on...

**********************

there are also other ways to create an ’analog-sounding’ dac, full of dimensionality and warmth and glow in the sound without a vacuum tube - witness cees rujtenberg at metrum/sonnet, wesley at neko and the folks at lumin who use lovely old school output transformer coupling of the ss output stage ... so there are many ways to achieve wonderful results

One of the best sounding DACs I owned in the early days of DACs was the CAL Alpha DAC....mine was a later 24/96 unit and it sounded great back in the day....   but a lot has changed and my RME adi-2 DAC betters it by a good margin.   

I prefer my dacs clean and pristine.   It is my source component for just about everything I listen to feeds to the DAC...   If I dont like the tone or sonic signature of the system I address it else where in the system,  whether its with room tuning or changing tube types in amp or pre.    I just think the "source" component should be true to the source material it is playing back.