Used DAC choice: Schiit modi 2u for $69 vs. Peachtree DAC-iT?

@uberwaltz -- so sorry! I do appreciate knowing that someone else wanted it! Tell you what, if I ever decide to get rid of it, I'll message you and we can arrange something way under market!

@djones I often have trouble telling things apart. I'm learning more about being a "critical listener" as Harley calls it, but often I find it hard to freeze a moving sound impression in my mind with enough precision to then compare it -- after a delay -- to another moving sound impression. In some cases, it's obvious -- "no bass" or "harsh treble" -- in other cases, it feels like guessing.

@djones, you were right about how hard it might be to hear a difference between the DAC chips. I got the Peachtree DAC today and tried it out against the Node 2i streamer. Some listening reports.

It’s hard to control all the variables, but I played the exact same cuts on different setups. 
SOURCE: Either Spotify or CD (same cut on each)
DACs: Either Node 2i or Peachtree
SPEAKERS & HEADPHONES both used.

Here’s what I know for sure:

NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE:
When the source is a Spotify stream, I *cannot* tell the difference between:
* Node 2i’s DAC
vs.
* Node 2i’s run via bypass through Peachtree DAC

YES, A DIFFERENCE:
* Cambridge CXC transport via Peachtree DAC (wider soundstage, clearer treble, more fulsome bass) is better than either:
* Spotify via Node 2i direct
* Spotify via Peachtree DAC

Again, this is a flawed test, and could be due to a lossy/lossless difference. That is, the lossless quality of the CD player vs. the lossy (but high quality Spotify source.

If I sign up for Qobuz or Tidal, I can do a better comparison by eliminating the lossy factor.

Everything sounds pretty great, though -- and musical.

Yeah you're not really comparing apples to apples try one of the streaming services at CD quality. They used to give a month or 15 days free to try out. It's  not surprising that you can't tell the difference with spotify. 

@djones I will do that. I was going to wait until I had my new speakers, though I have to say these old Pinnacle bookshelves with a Rel subwoofer are sounding lovely. They were a good company, I suspect, though these are the only Pinnacles I've heard. I am liking my Adcom separates, too, though I'll improve them, too, when life fully resume. [Prays.] I took some time the other day to pry off the cover of both Adcoms and blow the dust out of them. It's like one of those chores you promise to do and then never get to...until you do. That's how I am with my nice coffee maker, too -- I finally remember the dezcal and get it nice and clean.

Ok, a bit of an update.
I compared some lossless files vs. CD.
I cannot tell any differences now.

Here’s what I compared:

NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE:
When the source is a lossless FLAC file, I *cannot* tell the difference between:
* Node 2i streaming lossless FLAC via its own DAC
vs.
* * Node 2i streaming lossless FLAC via Peachtree DAC
vs.
* Cambridge CXC transport via Peachtree DAC

So, one conclusion is that I bought a CD transport for nothing.
Another conclusion is that my system isn’t presently resolving enough.
Every piece of equipment involved is mid-fi (Adcom separates, mid-fi streamer, mid-fi transport, and mid-fi speakers) that I do not have equipment capable to expressing the differences between the FLAC vs. CD media.
Or, perhaps I am not aware of what to listen for. I tried many well recorded musical selections of different genres but I’m unable to make out real differences.

I'm in the process of putting a new system together, so I'm not making any changes to my sources. And I'll get a much better DAC at some point. So, perhaps revisiting this in time will reveal more.