Bryston BDA-3

Nekoaudio, thanks for your detailed and well considered reply.   Let me correct an error in my last post...the Levinson 526, at $20,000.00, employs the new Sabre 9028 chip, which apparently will be available in the Oppo sonica at $800.00, and the new Ayre QX5 at $8000.00.   I believe that whereas the Auralic Altair uses the Sabre 9018, the Vega used proprietary DAC chips.
So regarding your comment that 'more body' is tantamount to added harmonics....a less dry presentation...the issue from my perspective is whether those added harmonics are euphonic noise, which term or similar has been used to describe the measurably high distortion but very pleasant sound of vinyl recordings, or constitute enhanced clarity....an analogy might be the sense of spaciousness or 'sound of the room' often adduced as attributes of superior stereo reproduction.  
I wish it were possible to A/B the Bryston, whose sound you state is closer than that of the Auralic is to the Luxman, with the Luxman, or with the Ayre QX5 for that matter.  Unfortunately, as you likely know better than I, in this age of internet reveiws and sales few if any dealers have more than one or two 'audiophile' DAC's available for audition.  If you do  have occasion to audition a Luxman DA-06....keep in mind its wonderful treatment of piano music, as a benchmark...in comparison with ?? the new generation of DAC's which might better approximate the holy grail of clarity and rich, euphonic harmonics, I....and I'm certain other audiophiles....would be most grateful for your further impressions.

I think your definition of "more body" may instead be whether or not the sound is recessed and narrow with some masking of sound, versus wide and deep and all sounds properly weighted. I believe this may be better characterized by the impulse response measurement than the harmonic distortion measurement.

In which case the Bryston BDA-3 plus Dirac Live RCS might be your best choice if you prefer the most detailed, cleanest, and accurate sound with the above definition of "more body". But you will want both.

Unfortunately I think it unlikely I will have a Luxman or Ayre for direct comparison anytime soon.

Nekoaudio, I again applaud your descriptions.  A dealer near me (I am very far from California) will have a BDA-3 for audition in a week or two, and I will seize the opportunity.   I am tempted to borrow/purchase and bring to that audition an Oppo Sonica, when that DAC becomes available, and if that opportunity arises I will report on the experience.    

Got my BDA-3 DAC  two weeks ago, driving it with my 2 1/2 year-old Oppo 105D that was fully modified by EVS [Ric Schultz]. I use a Nordost Blue Flare HDMI cable to connect the two. I play RBCD and SACD two-channel exclusively-no downloads.
Setup was simple and the DAC locks on flawlessly. Although I still need plenty of burn-in over the factory's  100 hours, the music it produces is superb-just like Greenhill's review in Stereophile.This is enhanced by the over $1000. in EVS modifications done to the transport portion of my Oppo.
The biggest improvement was to  RBCD. The DAC has resurrected my CD collection. HDCD comes through as PCM. The already great sounding SACD's are further improved in soundstage, imaging and most importantly in tonal quality.
This DAC was well worth the wait.