Wondering if I can get a little smoother of a sound without sacrificing detail and separation.Of course you can, and I don’t think going to a pro DAC is necessarily a good idea given what you’re looking for. . You went from a very neutral DS DAC to a tubed R2R, which is like going from one extreme to the other. I’d suggest a SS R2R DAC that’d more split the difference and give you slightly smoother yet still very detailed and transparent sound. I think the Musician Pegasus or Soekris 2541 would be excellent options to try if you can, just to name a couple. Hope this helps, and best of luck in your search.
Pro DACs vs Consumer DACs
Has anybody had the experience of comparing pro DACs such as the Burl B2 or the Cranesong Solaris to similarly priced consumer DACs? I have a Chord Qutest which I really like but I'm just curious what else is out there. I tried an MHDT Pagoda that was very euphonic but too colored for my taste. Wondering if I can get a little smoother of a sound without sacrificing detail and separation. Thanks