Please recommend for my next upgrade

My current Maverick DAC is only $200, to me, it is quite a bargain. When I first plug it in, I got an impression that it gives more detail and more dynamic. Then in one afternoon, I did a A/B test with and without the DAC. I found out the DAC just gives me a louder sound. If I switch to without, and turn up the volume a little bit, I can't hear any difference, or very very minor differences. I thought the processor should have a large impact on sound, but it seems not. Same as the power cord. After I switch the Volex power cord, I feel more bass. I didn't bother to do a A/B test because it is too troublesome. But now, I think it may be again just the loudness. Even the amp .. I originally use a Denon receiver, than I thought it doesn't have enough power to drive my speaker, so I bought a Rotel amp. After I hook it up, still very little improvement, just a bit more basss. To me, it seems the components that affect the sound the most are:

The source - CD
Preamp, each has its own characteristics. Adding a preamp sounds alot better than my Denon receiver.
And most important and obvious of all, the speakers. I tried quite some speakers, and finally land on B&W, and don't bother to try again, because it is too big to move around.

Although I am very tempted to upgrade the power cord, the ICs, the DAC ... etc, but I think maybe I should just save some money and upgrade my speakers to the B&W 802

The upcoming AI preamp is definitely gonna change the sound. Rolling/swapping in & out tubes will as well. Which sound is up to you.

Every BW speaker pr I’ve owned has responded exceedingly well to power. The 9NTs have less drivers than the 802N. But only a notch lower sensitivity rating… same imp for each. I got off the BW train following my 805Ns as I wanted to go with easier imp rated speakers that were more amenable to tube power.

Given the posts on the DACs sonic abilities you already have now, swapping it out for a better one likely will be your best step…. If nothing else changes. There too though, is an obstacle. $500 of them. You might corral a DA10 around that level… maybe. The Benchmark will be more, one like my BC D3, still more, and ones like the newer Ayres, & Brystons… again more $$$ than the budget..

Waiting… and saving to move into perhaps better, but surely more expensive speakers like the 802Ns will take significantly longer to save up for than the mere few hundred a better DAC will take to acquire.

Cabling is important. So is everything else. How much… to what degree… are the issues every audio hobbyist addresses or ignores.

Every option and suggestion herein are ones to do. Not just consider… but to do or go from with the current state of your system, and all will be beneficial. Depending of course on which choices in those areas you select.

Check out the DAC thingy… think about the wire deally and power line supply…. As you have the opportunity. Those 9NT ain’t bad speakers. They just need better front end gear attached to them A much better DAC that is more about music without sacrificing too much resolution & details will help a lot now.

Have fun

I listened to the Maverick for approx 1 1/2 weeks via the Audiocircle tour recently, and although my cd player is a decrepid POS the rest of my set up isn't too shabby. As a linestage the Maverick is so-so but I found the dac to be pretty good with a noticeable improvement in most areas, especially running it through my Tad-150 I'm surprised you haven't noted any type of improvement with the Maverick, most people that have listened to it have been quite impressed with it especially at it's price point. Have you tried bypassing the Maverick's pre section and running it through the Audible Illusion?