Another Playback Designs fan here.The Dream Dac is out of my reach now, at my age the income is just no longer there. My current dac, the Playback Designs Merlot is my 4th dac and for now a keeper. Just the right balance of revealing details, harmonics, timbre, dynamic subtlety without being analytic or bright.
It was when I got the Merlot that I started forgetting to listen to my system because the music was so naturally present and engaging it kept "distracting" me. If it has a drawback, it is that poor recordings became so much more evident. I like the selection of inputs. I use usb from cashing server for best SQ, and usb from MacbookPro to usb to spdif converter through digital coax to Merlot when you tube or other online sources call.