Dark Horse DAC

Came close to buying the Gustard R 26 Discrete DAC. My hearing seems to be ultra-sensitive to brightness/glare and I didn't want to take the chance.

Your Doge must sound amazing with the NOS tubes. I will probably try that at some point. 

Let me know how your new DAC stacks up.

Maybe old news for some, but perhaps not so much for others. Also, the current version is a MKII. Can't comment on the direct to amp performance, but the 2.6V going to the preamp through the RCA connections is higher than any other DAC that I know of.

I've read good things about the RME DAC. I think all the flexibility is interesting and enjoyable to some and to others it might be seen as unnecessary complexity. For myself I like to make the best choice I can afford and then keep it simple from there.

The RME, though, must be quite bargain at its price point.

@nniss

Thanks for your candid impressions. My Doge MKII (I think) is getting close to being broken in. While changing things around in my system I also added 10 Synergistic Research HFTs and settled in last night to some interesting Electronica and then some Flamingo/Classical guitar. I know it can always get better, but I had to ask myself just how much better does it have to be. 

The Doge 7 MKII is going away. Remaining units on the Doge site is on sale and when they're gone they're gone.