Thinking about getting a R2R DAC

@dannad I’m interested how to read the data point you bring up -- namely that Stereophile has chosen a DAC of the same make for every one of their A+ choices. Very intriguing! It raises a few questions for me.

• Did multiple reviewers all choose delta sigma DACs? Or perhaps this is one reviewer’s listening habits?
• How many r2r DACs do they review -- in other words, is there a rough balance there?
• Do other publications’ "best of" lists also tend toward delta sigma DACs?
• Are delta sigma and r2r DACs similarly positioned in industry prominence?

All these questions are not meant to dispute that the list by Stereophile is significant as a data point, but rather to help interpret it. It could be that r2r DACs are outliers, still; it could indicate that the enthusiasm around them has been whipped up without much basis in fact. It could be that they’re outgunned in getting their products in the hands of reviewers. Or, it could be that Stereophile has come to a certain decision about r2r DACs -- all of them -- such that they simply cannot crack the list. I don’t know enough to do more than speculate. What I know for sure is that I LOVE my MHDT Orchid with an NOS tube. In other words, not much at stake for me in this debate -- other than what other DAC to try next. (I'm coming for you jjss!)

I believe that the following explanation makes a lot of sense;
http://sw1xad.co.uk/technology_post/delta-sigma-vs-non-oversampling-r2r-dac-designs/
So the readers digest version is that it is all a matter of implementation. 
Everything matters and simplicity will beat unnecessary complication most times, particularly for most consumers' budgets. Everything must be taken into consideration and impedance mismatches between the digital source and the DAC account for a lot of problems that many listeners complain of. Everything needs to be implemented optimally just as with vinyl playback. 
Now let me acknowledge that I am biased but I am also putting my money where my mouth is-I have a DAC II Special with USB on its way to me. And as I said before, I heard a top tier Audio Note digital rig at Axpona '19 and the sound was stellar. 

@dannad I see how the Stereophile list helps make that narrower point. Agreed.

A lot is involved and way beyond my knowledge -- and beyond certain quality levels, probably my ability to hear. Good, short video, here: https://youtu.be/McoA82-fi9s?t=73

While Stereophile has always been my go-to for reviews keep in mind they don’t review every DAC (includes the MHDT Orchid) and most, if not all, of the DACs you cite are considerably more expensive. In the Orchid’s case there is an excellent review by 6Moons that is quite consistent with my experience 2+ weeks into owning it. Keep in mind the DAC segment, in particular, is very focused on state-of-the-art features when how it sounds to ones particular ears far outweighs anything else. For $1,300 the Orchid sounds incredible and I have the ability of greatly changing the sound by rolling the analog stage tube. For me, non-fatiguing “musicality” is more important than “analytical” presentation that can sound very etched. To each their own.