budburma,
Hello. I just noticed this thread. I thought I'd add my two cents because all three of my favorite pieces have been mentioned. However, I cannot provide the comparisons you seek.
The AC threads in which Don's Model 2 and/or Kootenay 120 were compared to some other gear suffered some 'admin adjustments', so many of the original posts are lost.
My three favorite brands (or designers) are Don Sachs, Daedalus Audio, and SW1X Audio. I own not one but two of Don's Model 2 preamps and his Kootenay 120, a pair of Lou Hinkley's Apollo speakers, and a newly upgraded SW1X DAC III+. Each component adds to the total experience, of course, but I may not have gone this far down the rabbit hole had I not visited Don in 2015. That visit found me driving away with a Model 2 tucked away in my vehicle to be added to my fledgling audio system.
It was the addition of the Model 2 that made me realize the there was real potential for me to have a SOTA audio system without spending ridiculous amounts of money to achieve it. [I know - define 'ridiculous amount of money.']
My main system is Don's newest version of the Model 2, the Kootenay 120, a SW1X DAC III+ (nearly identical to Wig's), a pair of Daedalus Apollos, and either a Mac, an OPPO 103, or a Channel Islands Audio DMC-1.
Based upon my personal experiences comparing different gear on two continents (preamps, amps, DACs, and multiple speakers over three years), I have 'found' my SOTA system.
YMMV of course.
Hello. I just noticed this thread. I thought I'd add my two cents because all three of my favorite pieces have been mentioned. However, I cannot provide the comparisons you seek.
The AC threads in which Don's Model 2 and/or Kootenay 120 were compared to some other gear suffered some 'admin adjustments', so many of the original posts are lost.
My three favorite brands (or designers) are Don Sachs, Daedalus Audio, and SW1X Audio. I own not one but two of Don's Model 2 preamps and his Kootenay 120, a pair of Lou Hinkley's Apollo speakers, and a newly upgraded SW1X DAC III+. Each component adds to the total experience, of course, but I may not have gone this far down the rabbit hole had I not visited Don in 2015. That visit found me driving away with a Model 2 tucked away in my vehicle to be added to my fledgling audio system.
It was the addition of the Model 2 that made me realize the there was real potential for me to have a SOTA audio system without spending ridiculous amounts of money to achieve it. [I know - define 'ridiculous amount of money.']
My main system is Don's newest version of the Model 2, the Kootenay 120, a SW1X DAC III+ (nearly identical to Wig's), a pair of Daedalus Apollos, and either a Mac, an OPPO 103, or a Channel Islands Audio DMC-1.
Based upon my personal experiences comparing different gear on two continents (preamps, amps, DACs, and multiple speakers over three years), I have 'found' my SOTA system.
YMMV of course.