Jolida, Glass FX Tube DAC III vs Fusion DAC Pre


I am setting up a two channel system in a spare room in my new house. It will be 11 feet x 12 feet, carpeted. Most of my music is in digital (mp3, FLAC, etc) format. I plan on using my Windows computer as the "source". I may hook up a CD player or Phono at some point.

My amp will be a Parasound HCA-1500A, a solid state amp with 205 W/ch. This has more than enough power for the size room.

As far as speakers, I plan on going with bookshelfs, something in the $1500 range. I will probably look at something like the KEF LS-50s, Epos Elan 15, or something from Focal/JM Lab, PMC, PSB, B&W etc. Another option would be to steal the Meadowlark Kestrals from my home theater system.

The main question I have, is how to get the "music" from the digital source to the speakers. I don't want to spend more than about $1500 between PC out and AMP in.

All I really need is USB/Coax/SPDIF inputs, volume control, and RCA outs to the amp. I realize USB has a host of issues, so I would consider getting a USB/SPDIF converter such as the TeraLink X2, if that would help improve the sound.

I am leaning towards either the Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III ($500), or the Jolida Fusion DAC Pre ($950). Is there a big difference in sound quality between the two? They use the same DACs and tubes. The Fusion adds Bluetooth, which I would use, and has more switching functionality. But as far as sound quality, can I get the Glass FX and put the extra 500 bucks toward the other components?

Glass FX + B&W PM1; or Fusion DAC Pre + B&W CM5?? These are the tradeoffs I am looking at.

Thanks if you read this far, I'd rather include more detail than less.

I listen to a mix of Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical, and everything else (Allison Krauss, Frank Zappa, Derek Trucks, Zakir Hussain, Art Blakey, Chris Thile, Joshua Redman, Kathleen Battle, Smashing Pumpkins...)
georgepv
Glad you are enjoying your new preamp. I put tungsol gold pins in mine and it sounds fantastic.
The tubes are enclosed in the unit, I've never actually opened it up. I assume you just unscrew a couple screws to open the case.

I have since upgraded the Amp to a Parasound A23.