DAC 3-4k range

A great thing about the used equipment market is it can allow you to try lots of things in your own system, and if it doesn't work out you can turn around and sell it for little or maybe even no loss (assuming you don't overpay for the unit initially). And DACs in particular are relatively light and have no moving parts so lend themselves well to shipping. Comparing your unit to others in completely different rooms/systems or to lower-priced competition really doesn't tell you much imho. Anyway, just a thought. By the way, I'll throw in the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB as another unit worth exploring if it hasn't already been mentioned. I had the DAC3VB in my system as a demo and it was very impressive (would still have it if I could've afforded it dammit). Again, best of luck.

i am surprised no one has mentioned the minimax plus dac. i would also suggest removing the op amps and substituting the dexa opamps, based upon my conversation with the importer.

Well, I have the unit being built right now. I'll be either trading in the 2.1 unless I can sell it within the next week or so.

I find that opportunity always presents itself somehow so I suspect I'll have opportunity to audition some of those other units in my system at some point. In the meantime I feel very comfortable with the decision. I sit here listening to Jazz at the Pawshop on the 2.1 and am in heaven, I can't imagine what the 4.1 will sound like. And we've (the builder and I) decided to through in a variety of upgrades that start putting it in AN UK high end models territory. I'm really excited.

(And thanks again to everyone for the really great input, both technical and philosophical. Very much appreciated.)

Antelope Zodiac +Voltikus, direct to amp and via usb