I sense we have very similar musical tastes ... hence the moniker "straight ahead". At any rate, several months ago I was looking for near-field speakers and versatile electronics for my office. The solution: Audioengine A5's with Maverick Audio Tube Magic D1 ($200 USD) - a combination DAC, preamp, and headphone amp. Plus it's got USB connectivity, and has line-in to connect iPod. I changed the tube to a GE 5-star 5670 and it sounds great. The Maverick is available direct from China and I feel it competes quite well with the Paradisea MHDT (which I owned and sold last year). The only other upgrades were Volex power cord and Kimber USB cable.
I didn't experience any difficulty with getting the A5's to sound right ... maybe that's because they're sitting on my desk. All I know is, they disappear and there is a nice sound stage right in front of me. With the USB hooked up to the PC, one can listen to iTunes or Pandora. IMHO it's a great set-up with a very high value to cost ratio.
I didn't experience any difficulty with getting the A5's to sound right ... maybe that's because they're sitting on my desk. All I know is, they disappear and there is a nice sound stage right in front of me. With the USB hooked up to the PC, one can listen to iTunes or Pandora. IMHO it's a great set-up with a very high value to cost ratio.