Peachtree Audio 2.0

Peachtree has the new Nova 500 with more power and also a new "better" preamp section. I am considering trading my Nova 150 in the Spring or splurging on the new Krell 300i integrated which has 2 HDMI inputs. The Nova 150 is a good unit and a little recessed on the highs, which maybe a good thing for some.

I’ve had a nova500 since mid December and (finally) really like it,  it took a long time to run-in but that was with new everything (speakers, source, etc,) so I don’t think it’s fair to say the Peachtree is all to blame.  Initially it sounded HORRIBLE...  flat, no sound stage, compressed dynamics, etc.  all those things people talk about hating in authentically reproduced music,  

Now that I’m 200+ hours in, I have to say it’s bordering on outstanding.  Also no crackles, bumps or other oddities.  It just works as advertised and honestly sounds better every day. 

Rest of the stuff: Dynaudio Contour 60, SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo SE and Roon 1.6 playing a combination of HiRes and Tidal.

I have a Nova 300 and had taken it out of my computer system for a while in favor of a Heed Elixir. 

I've made a number of source and speaker changes since then and I have to say it sounds really nice with the Peachtree back in the mix. 

I'm using an MHDT Orchid DAC with Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify via USB from my PC, I have an old Onkyo DV SP205FX SACD player, and a Clearaudio Emotion turntable with a Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena phono pre.  Speakers are Canton Vento Reference 9.2 DC. 

I'm running the Orchid and the turntable through my Simaudio 430HA headphone amp and into the Peachtree as I listen to headphones a lot in this room.

I wasn't, and still am not, using the Peachtree's DAC or phono pre or headphone amp, which is the main reason I switched to the Heed, which I also really like. 

The Peachtree is just a little more refined and easy to listen to.  The Heed is a really nice piece, but is a little "hotter" than the Peachtree.  Not "bright", but a little more aggressive and this system is in a small room (maybe 12 X 12) with the speakers only about 5 feet from my listening position and stuck in corners of the room (not ideal, I know but it's the space I have to work with).  I might like the Heed better if I had a larger listening space.