Comparison of latest DAC chips

 I've been reading a lot about this subject online in forums such as this one and I've come to the conclusion that should have been obvious to me from the start. There are some great DAC chip manufacturers out there and there are a lot of great equipment manufacturers that use them. It always comes down to this...you have to listen to the different combinations of chips and equipment before you can make a decision. I've read a lot of reviews about the Hegel H390 and the fact that it has a great DAC. They use the AK4490 and many reviews also stated, as many of you have in this thread, that it's the electronics after the chip that makes this one shine. I now own a H390 and I've listened to the DAC. I have a Cambridge Audio Azur 650C and I hooked it up to the H390 with a coax cable. I found myself becoming restless while listening to music. On edge. I didn't think it sounded bad, but something wasn't right. I removed the coax and replaced it with the analog outputs of the 650C. The dual Wolfson WM8740 in the 650C made the music sound fuller and silkier. There was a quality to the music that is hard to explain, but I could listen to it and relax. I went back to the AK4490 setup after a few weeks to see if I would change my mind and I went right back to the analog output using the 8740's. By the way....the Hegel H390 is by far the best integrated amp, or any preamp-amp combo, I've ever owned. I highly recommend it!