Smooth sounding DAC?

Audio Logic 24MXL is world class - wonderful tonality, great dynamics, holds together in crescendos, images like all getout, full and rich bass, liquid mids and sweet highs.

Here's a polarity conundrum. I have a First Sound preamp that inverts polarity. As a result, I reverse the system's polarity at the speaker terminals (+>-, ->+). The Scott Nixon Tube DAC inverts polarity as well. How can I use the TubeDAC in a system with other sources? Seems to me, the TubeDAC signal is going to ultimately be out of phase while the other sources will be in phase, or vice-versa.

Audio Note is a good bet. Be aware that with non-upsampling DAC's, you generally get smoothness at the expense of dynamics. The AN can be modded to improve dynamics to some extent as well as HF extension and clarity.

With upsamplers, you can have both worlds, great dynamics as well as smoothness.

Great post Audioengr. I would also add that "smoothness" in many DAC's is achieved at the expense of high frequency articulation i.e. controlled roll-off in the treble region. Not only is tonal balance part of what equates to "smoothness", so does transient response. I think that this is what Audioengr was getting at in terms of "dynamics". A component that lacks transient response will demonstrate a "softer" presentation. While the combination of soft treble response and reduced amplitude of peaks may present a "smoother" presentation, it isn't very accurate or nearly as good sounding as what a well designed digital system is capable of. Sean
>

Sean, back in 2001 you wrote:

"...most digital reproduction devices seemed to rob the life out of many recordings that i used to love when i was still "vinyling". The introduction of a tube DAC into one of my systems took digital worlds closer to analogue. This added far more space, air, ambience, body, soul and "PRAT" to the system. Instead of sounding like a stripped and sterilized "clone" of a musical recording, i HAD music again. Much like vinyl before it, there was emotion coming from the speakers instead of just a bunch of "digital data" being reproduced. I found it startling to say the least."

You always post very thoughtful comments. I'd like to know what turned you away from the tube DAC you wrote such glowing things about in this post from 2001 to your present preference for SS?