tube magic with digital source?

Sorry @millercarbon. I missed your point in my reply.

You are certainly correct in that it seems the majority contend that tubes add something (ideally pleasurable) to the sound, as opposed to doing a better job of not adding/changing/omitting anything.

Now I'm off to shop for a tube amp...

Ralph, if my Burson sounds better than that Chinese whatever you will pay for both, agreed ? If not, I will pay for both.

:) nah. I just mentioned it to point out how digital, after only 40 years, is finally getting to the point where it should have been when it was introduced. If digital is done right, you really shouldn't be hearing differences between DACs and the like. Topping's D90 is one of the better measuring DACs on the market, despite its low price. It sounds quite decent too.


For 30 years I gauged how good a digital system was by how long it took to get a headache. In the early 1980s 2 minutes was a pretty good setup. By the end of the 1990s I could listen to some digital setups all day but not all night... and that was a $10,000 setup. Now I can go out and buy a Topping E30 DAC for $125.00 including shipping that I can play continuously without problems- its smooth and detailed. Some of that no doubt is due to my hearing loss in the highs. But the last time I got a headache due to digital playback was only 4 years ago at RMAF and my hearing measures the same as it did then.

Well, I sometimes listen to $100 Audioquest Dragofly Black with Grado 225 headphones. For the size and cost it’s excellent. The Burson I mentioned, $1500 retail, is not 15 times better but it is much better. Out of curiosity I might just try the Topping, though.
Back to the subject. OP already made the decision to give it a try.
On a personal note, I can’t imagine my hi-fi without analog source.