Next best exponential DAC quality level?

Those who don't use tubes assume a tube DAC, or tubes in general, are always syrupy and full of distortion. Topology and tube selection matter; it's very possible for a Dac using tubes to sound detailed and neutral.  I've heard some SS Dacs that have a warm presentation, not reproducing music realistically.

What should be compared is sound signature of a Delta Sigma Dac vs a multibit or ladder Dac. Not tubes vs SS. 

There isn’t a person in all of this site (or any other site) that could tell the architecture of the DAC if designed to be accurate just from listening.

That’s absolutely correct. Then why do you and others keep insisting that a tube based DAC is inferior, has poor SQ compared to SS? Oh yeah, it’s the specs.

An example of a well built, well implemented DAC is made by Audio Note. The designer has said they measure and spec the device, then they tweak it during a listening session until it sounds like real music. They use masters as their sources.

How long do we think cindyment has really been on this forum? Maybe 1 day + 4 years? She's really taking a hard stand for a new member.

+1 @tsushima1 

Please let's end the thread here.

It's funny, the guy who's been here one day telling members how to behave on the forum. And he's been so considerate.

Op, do you want a real answer, or a made up one?

Does that sound silly? This whole thread is silly.

DAC chips are so good today, that you can make a DAC for a few hundred dollars that is better than human hearing will ever be. Add another few hundred dollars and you can isolate that from any noise source. Add in a low volume premium and for under $1,000 you can have something perfect.

Now if you want something that is not perfect, that will cost you big bugs, because then you are paying for art, not reproduction.

Are we supposed to take people seriously that compare highly distorting tube outputs to no distortion solid state? Seems silly. Changing a setting on a DAC for the output filter and a multi-thousand $$ DAC will create more difference between it and itself than it will with similar filter setting between it and a much cheaper DAC.

You are asking a group of people for an opinion who have never compared without looking at whats playing, without ensuring the volume is exactly the same, or learning what the filters do and why they may impart a sound, hence DO sound different, and who think NOS is the be-all, when it is just a noise mess, but sure it does sound different.

Good luck on your quest, but these are not the droids you are looking for ... I mean the answer to the question you seek.

I rarely taunt other members but you set the tone of this thread by coming out with both guns blazing. Every other post was you denigrating members' contributions. I love the attitude that nobody here is capable of comparing equipment in an audition. The many manufacturers and designers that frequent this forum have too much class to join this thread and tell you what's what. I don't expect these experts to contribute their valuable knowledge to a thread with such mean-spirited overtones. 

Apologies to the OP.