I'm not all in on digital systems because I'm not all in on DACs

Try a Border Patrol R2R dac with tubed choke power supply. I think you will like it. Uses the old technology Philips chip.to me it sounds more analog than digital. It is the one I settled on for my rather modest digital front end. Using a Cyrus cdt transport and a Marantz hd cd-1 (as transport). I’m mostly a analog guy, LP’s and Tapes. I use a Grace Digital Link for streaming. It runs into my second dac, a musical fidelity v90, another analog (at least to me) sounding dac. I do not do hi res, at most cd quality. I generally just do pandora and the like, as it sounds good to me and serves my purpose of finding new music. When I do, I go and purchase the actual physical media, whether it be the LP or the CD.

Gary of Border Patrol is a great guy, and you can return the dac if it is not for you.

My system, which consists of a Roon Core and active speakers is all digital until conversion and sent to amps then drivers which are controlled DSP active.  This all happens within the speaker as well as volume control. Of course I’m not obsessed with DACs or amps just give me nice measuring components and they all will sound the same after speaker and the room are factored in. Not to say you can get DACs and amps, preamps that add distortion and coloration but I dont bother with such lousy measuring gear.

@nonoise you said...

"I'm not a digital guy in that I don't relish the thought of trying out all the different DACs out there. Too many flavors and choices don't get me any closer to the musical truth if they all sound different."

You do realize that statement is also applicable to transports, preamps, amps and speakers, yes? Do you have any qualms about auditioning those other components? Why are DACs different?

Happy listening.

Erik, how familiar are you with DEQX? Also, which model of OPPO did you listen to in your system?

Never heard them. I believe I have the Oppo 103. Not the top of the line, but still the quality of the sound that came out of it, feeding a Parasound P7 was outstanding.

Not to say you can get DACs and amps, preamps that add distortion and coloration but I dont bother with such lousy measuring gear.

I wish my experience was that consistent. It’s not. I’ve listened to DAC’s all over the price spectrum. I have a Mytek Brooklyn and a Topping DX3 sitting side by side in my living room. I only use the Mytek for music. The Topping was out to see if I had an issue measuring but while it's out I tried it for music to see if my memory of the previous comparison held.  It did.  It does not sound as good. Just does not.  This sucks for me trying to buy a cheap HT processor.  

I repeat what I’ve said before, measuring DAC’s isnt’ science it’s quality assurance. If you want to claim you are doing science then do research and discover something new. Don’t just stop and say "we made up these measurements 20 years ago and that is all there is." To further take those old measurements and ascribe them to audio quality or desirability is further, unscientific folly.