Playback Designs MPD3 or Simaudio 650d

You are doing just fine. No need for second opinions. If you love the sound buy it.

The only due diligence you really need to do now is to audition the Simaudio player, though if what you heard with the Playback Designs really blew you away, I'd say go for it. Sometimes you hear a component that you know is "right"--that's happened to me a couple of times, and I have not regretted making the purchases when that happened.

Even I haven't heard the Simaudio, I still would go for the Playback Designs, Mr.Kosch has done the magic and believed they have the top notch technology, BTW, I'm a happy owner of a MPS3.

As others have said if the Playback Designs blew you away I say go for it. I have heard a lot of DAC's and can say via DSD it leaves every other DAC I have ever heard in the dust. Via PCM some other DAC's are better to my ears (a PDX and Killer) - but its still pretty good.

I had a few guys over yesterday including the guy that makes and designs the Killer DAC as well as the guy that is gradually taking over making them. They were both impressed with it via DSD - which take my word for it is very high praise indeed. They even liked it via PCM - but not to the same extent.

I also have to tell you it reinforced something I have become very acutely aware of over the years - how we all lock onto different things when listening to gear. I tend to lock onto a live, spacious, in your face, I am there presence. They tend to lock onto subtler cues like very slight sibilance issues and the the liquidity and timbre of voices - again only slight - grosser issues I pick up on as well. Very interesting session.

Thanks
Bill