Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

I'll be brief since the Olympics are on...
You need the DAC Plus version; forget about the upgrade to the original unless (and ONLY unless) you can't swing the money for the Plus version.

See my Audio Blast articles at Dagogo.com about all things EE DAC and the Plus version, as well as discrete Opamp rolling them.

The experience of the Plus version is drastically better than the original. If you have the money to do the Plus version the discrete Opamp upgrade on the original would be a mistake. Nuf said. :)

Mrtennis, it should have been fairly obvious; the "contextual reference" for my conclusions is contained in the articles I have written.

Sonic Imagery seems to offer for this opamp a DIY kit.

Once again, a caution in regards to jumping to conclusions with the DEXA and Burson discrete Opamps for the EE Minimax DAC Plus; if you only have one rig and never want to change out anything again, sure you can claim whichever is "best". I have built multiple rigs since the article and have consistently found no predictable result in which combination or set of DEXA and Burson Opamps will be superior.

Case in point, I just put in new speakers two days ago and clearly with these speakers and components the Burson are more to my liking, although in the system just prior the NewClassD Opamps were my choice.

It's just not as simple as this or that is better. Thus I recommended the two sets so as to have a system-change-proof solution.