Enlightened Audio designs

Tex, is the a DSP-7000 Mk.I, II, or III? They are all good (I've owned all three), but if you have a Mk.III then you've got the last and best version. I still use it, and like Jsadurni have compared it against many other units.

More importantly maybe, for you, is that Greg Palma at Noble Electronics still services and also does awesome upgrades to EAD gear. Greg was one of the original engineers at EAD back in the day, so he knows how to care for and hop up these units. He tricked out my Mk.III and, as good as it was before it went in, it came back with a higher level of tranparency and extension. It had held its own against some great DACs before it went in. I'm not sure now why I'd *ever* be getting rid of it.

Ask him if he still has any remaining original upgrade kits for the Mk.I. These were designed by EAD for EAD owners to bring it up to a Mk.II. Not too difficult to do youself if you have a little skill with a soldering iron.

Tex, at the time I bought it (many many years ago) I think it may have been somewhere in the $400 price range, but I am really guessing. But don't let that scare you off. Send Greg an email; I suspect if he has them the price may be determined by factors that have nothing to do with the original offering price. It's been too long. When I got it the PCM63K DAC and the Crystal chip were considered the best there was, and they were very pricey. I suspect that may not be a factor in how any remaining kits may be priced today.

Tex, I'm in agreement with Sam. If you decide that the upgrade is for you, then what I can tell you is that going from a I to a III will be a BIG improvement. Sam is also right about the glass input - mine does have that (I use it with my Proceed PDT-3 transport which has AT&T out). But there are so few sources with glass out anymore that it shouldn't be a huge issue for you. The Toslink input is quite good, as Sam indicated.

BTW, that upgrade price is great.