Curious.....

Two, thanks for sharing.  I'll check it out.  

Verd, The Brinkmann Nyquist is on the 'warm' side of things and still very detailed. They have dealt wiht the pre an post ringing that ruins digital for me with most units.  

I own Vandersteen Quatro CT's, Vandersteen M5-HPA mono's, Audioquest Niagara 3000 with Dragon power cord and Hurricane cords for everything else, including the speakers.  I have AQ Fire interconnects and will have their WEL balanced interconnects for the DAC.  My server is a bespoke The memory Player by Laufer Technique which is on the same level at the Taiko server that costs over 30k (my buddy owns a Memory Player like I do and just reviewed the Taiko for TAS).  I have a DAC that they built into is, b ut will be taking it out when I get my new one.

I hate to say I like warm or open or whatever.  I like music to sound like music.  I don't like the music to be in my face.  I need a large sound stage when its' recorded that way.  I want accuracy.  I do get fatigued listening to digital when it's not top notch.  I want something that will give me bass when it's there and pristine highs.  I played drums before the MS and know what a high hat sounds like or how a ride cymbal sounds.  I listen to music that has piano and want to hear the bite and strike of the strings.  I had Ayre and appreciated the speed and timing and micro and macro detail.  I guess I want it all.  

DCS to me has always been a spec 'cold' to my ears.  I thought the MSB that I heard (way out of the price range I'm looking at) was highly musical and still highly detailed with everything.  I just wish I could hear the Brinkmann and MSB units as I think in order it's:

Brinkmann
MSB Discrete
MA3
DCS Bartok
Bricasti.

I am open minded though.

Thanks all.  I have to purchase demo or used as I can't afford new for what I want.  The two that I'd LOVE to hear are the Playback Designs Dream based on a Vandy dealer I know who sells it along with Brinkmann and one other (forget which brand).  He's a total analog guy like Richard Vandersteen is, so I trust his judgement as we were very open about all the brands we have heard and not enjoyed, lol...;). 

I can't afford one though.  I am HIGHLY intrigued by the Rockna Wavedream Balanced.  I have spoken to a close friend who reviewed one and he said that it's an amazing DAC.  He told me to get the Brinkmann (I found two that are up to date and affordable) and enjoy it and then wait for a used PD or Rockna (assuming I can hear each).  He said you can't go wrong with the PD or Rockna (ironic both are called Dream).  

Granny, the mojo is a great sounding dac according to a buddy who did a review of it for TAS or Enjoy the Music. He mentioned it to me in the early part of my search. No discount as it’s direct and nothing used right now, plus there is no volume control. I need that as I wait for a new preamp to hit the market that I will be getting in the next few months. 

Thanks so much. I just got the Brinkmann.  Haven’t had a chance to set it up. I thought it had a volume control so I wouldn’t need a pre, but it doesn’t. I need to learn what he volume knob does in stereo mode not just headphone where it is a full pre amp.