I can only repeat and support what many have said here. A reasonably good DAC is source-agnostic, so it makes sense to spend on that point onwards. The sound you hear will depend on the DAC's analogue stage, the pre-amp, the power amp and the speakers, but all your digital sources will sound the same through that chain provided you invest in a reasonable DAC.
So to put the opposite point of view, as per your Mexican stand-off, the front end is the LAST place I need to spend a lot of money, except perhaps to get features (touch screen, form factor etc) that I like. The reason a good DAC makes more sense than a one box solution is, for me, quite simple. All my sources are now digital. My DAC is my source selector and I'm pleased with its sound. Why should I spend money on another DAC inside a one box solution? -- chill ------------------------------------------------------------------------ chill's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10839 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=93317 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
