Higher End DACs

You should audition a few samples of DACs and streamers to get a handle of the type of sound you favor.  Pick something in the highly detailed, accurate camp, such as the Esoteric, and then something at the other end of the spectrum, like Audio Note DACs (more lush and harmonically dense, but, not as detailed and clear sounding).  Then, you will be better informed by the vastly different opinions that will be presented to you here.

tomic601,

I own the ND 555 streamer/DAC with the 555 PS DR power supply and a Uniti Core ripper/hd server.  I like how it sounds.  I use to own their 555 CD player, which I thought sounded better than their servers, but, their current top-of-the-line server is quite good.  I have almost 5,000 CDs ripped to the server.  I don't know how it compares with other high end servers and dacs, but, the dealer who sold it to me said he was surprised himself by how it performed compared to the other stuff he carries, and he has some auite good gear in the shop, like the ultra expensive MBS and the Berkeley stuff.