I've been demo'd a Hegel HD 30 used with Valve Amplification and Klipsch Jubilee Speakers.
As a SS Device the HD 30 has made the better of impressions made to date of all SS DAC's encountered for demo' purposes.
Members of the group who were present have also been demo'd the HD 30 in another system where Valve Amp's and ESL Speakers are in use, and it has made a very good impression and got very good commendations.
The ESL System has had Denafrips Aries II and Venus II Models added over a period of time for demo' purposes and these have not got too much appraisal, I could not warm to the Aries II.
On one occasion, when I was not in attendance, a Group Member who is a EE, had compared their own DAC, built for approx' £300 to the Venus II, and the general description given to me was that the Venus II was not in the race.
The Venus II owner, in a follow up mail, made it known they were considering selling the DAC after this experience. They want to revisit the comparison, now the New Firmware is downloaded.