Not sure if I should put this in the digital or analog section.... but am looking for a DAC with a tube or a DAC and a tube to put in front of my Emotiva self powered bookshelf speakers & could use some advice. The amps inside each speaker are 50 watts- the manual lists both high and low frequency amps- but I'm not sure if it's a pair in each or just one amp in each speaker. I haven't got a DAC for them yet- but they sound a little bright and fatiguing to me. I am looking at the Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC 3 @ around $500. I can probably get one used for around $300. I also saw something called a "Little Dot" and several Chinese combos. I saw mentioned Musical Paradise DAC MP-D1 @ around $400.
Does anyone have experience with these or others? Or would it be better to buy a DAC and Tube preamp separately? Is there such a thing as a Tube filter that does not amplify sound that could go before the speakers?
I may end up selling the speakers if they are still fatiguing after all this, but I do like the sound of tubes and would like to try them.
If looking at the Jolida, be careful what you are driving with it, as it has a very high output impedance of 3kohm. They don't advertise this, but I got a customer of mine who owns one to email and ask them.
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