SMc Audio Ultra DAC. Thoughts and Opinions?

Most of my gear is considered by many to be "mid-fi" and/or older quality gear from yesteryear.

I'm wondering if the SMc Audio Ultra DAC is too good for my system or would expose that my gear isn't high-end enough. Maybe it would show me that it isn't a synergistic match as well.

I know a lot of A'gon members here have pretty serious systems and $1500+ on a DAC is not much to spend but for me it is. Also from looking through the net I've seen the SMc Audio Ultra DAC being paired up with some serious and expensive gear. I'm wondering if what I have will match up well. I wish I could audition the Ultra DAC but the seller is cross country in CA.

What I have currently in my 2 channel stereo system.

Kavent S-33 preamp or a McCormack TLC-1 Deluxe (I'm still debating which to keep)
Oppo BDP-83 as a CD transport
DAC: Audio Alchemy DTI 2.0 to a DDE V3.0
Digital ICs: McCormack Wonderlink J cables
Amps: Red Dragon Audio Amp-1 Monoblocks
Speakers: Rebuilt KEF 104/2 speakers repaired by SG Custom Sound or KEF Q-90 (I'm still debating which pair to keep as well)
ICs: Outlaw Audio PCA cables
SCs: Zu Audio Mission
Power cords: Atlona Power 10 or 12 AWG cords.
Power conditioning: 1KVA Topaz Ultra Isolator and Tice Audio Power block.

Thanks in advance everyone. For some reason I could not post this entire message the first time.

DACs change with new technology more quickly than any other component except for computer/streaming sources. Also, due to Moore's Law, the cost of the new DACs with newer technology is often less expensive.

This is one area where it might be wise to buy a new or near-new component, unless there's some specific feature of the older DAC chips that interests you, i.e. non oversampling or non upsampling.

If you find a DAC with a design that is implemented correctly with a good chip chances are it will be competitive within its price range. Older DACs can be made much better (the better designed ones) with a few mods like new clock and power supply and transformers. I have auditioned plenty of DACs over time and I usueally find differences but not to that large of a percent. Probably because all of my gear is modified. Adding transformers to a DAC can change the sound for the better but it is always an experiment because it does not always work universally to the same degree.

I do like the newer DACs that stack their chips but my tech built mine so the cost for me is much lower then purchasing a manufactured product. It is all in the design and implementation. The Lampinzator DAC was very good and his implementation is very different from my DIY DAC in cip selection but he uses chokes in the DAC like I do meaning there is good implementation to his design.

Happy Listening.

Thanks both of you for chiming in. You definitely have me thinking about different types of DACs. I'm also following that other recent thread about new DACs and older DACs that you both have chimed in on as well.

I guess there aren't many members who have the SMC Ultra DAC or have listened to it and care to share their thoughts.