well, i thought i would update this thread that i started. i borrowed a well regarded non os dac that had obviously better bass and dynamics than mine but i never heard anything that really wooed me into enjoying it. then i got back on the internet and researched until i had headaches, dizziness, and a pissed off wife. so, i finally decided to just try something on a whim, i won an adcom gda600 dac off of ebay with a well regarded chipset and dual power supplies. it sounds great, very natural and unforced. piano sounds phenomenal and it has a magic to it that i have not heard in my home in years. so i am pleased. the digital fatigue that was subtle but driving me nuts is gone, hooray. thanks for the input.