02-26-09: Farjamed
Do you think something such as the the MHDT Labs Havana or Paradisea DAC would sound different?
They would sound different. No question about it.
The issue is whether they would offer a substantial "improvement" over your present DAC or CD player. I believe the answer lies in the fact that you report hearing a small difference when using your $2K DAC versus your CD player.
The Havana and Paradisea are less expensive, can be found used, and have pretty good resale, so you have little to lose by buying a used one and trying it.
You may like it, but based on your comments using the $2K DAC, I wouldn't count on an "Ah-Ha!" moment.