Some DACs I am Considering-Any thoughts?

@adam8179
My experience is limited but I have a little experience with the MHDT DACs.  I have the Pagoda (non-balanced) and I really like it but I prefer my Chord Qutest.  The Qutest has better bass and treble extension, and better detail.  The Pagoda definitely is more of an analog and less fatiguing sound, but in my opinion, it's not as true to the source as the Qutest.  My good friend got an Orchid on my recommendation and I'm afraid to say, neither of us liked it very much.  It was much more rolled off than the Pagoda in bass and treble and it overemphasized certain frequencies to a strange degree.  For example, any recording with tape hiss was almost unlistenable because of how the DAC emphasized it.  We thought it was defective but he returned it and the folks at LTA said it was working perfectly.  If you decide to go MHDT, I would go for the Pagoda, especially if your system is a bit on the analytical side.  If you already have some warmth, I might suggest staying away from tube DACs

Did you or your friend use the factory supplied tube(s) or change them? What you mention can occur if sub-standard tubes are used.  

Several friends with both MHDT Orchids and Pagoda, all good luck so far past 3-5 years. Mine is dead quiet.  Both DACs sound different and better with really good tubes.  With really good interconnects and for the DIY'ers, adding top-shelf coupling caps open them up even more but still retain the R-2R Ladder non-oversampling (NOS) analog type of sound.

OP with all due respect these qualities.

I am looking for the elusive "Musicality".

My definition of that term is another word "Magical"

You will find on the recording not so much on the presentation.

Listening to Bags & Trane - Milt Jackson / John Coltrane, the magical Musicality is in the music itself not the Dac

Not intending to offend anyone

I listened to my system with the Chord Qutest DAC. Excellent and belies it's price. Do add it to your list.

If you are ok with non r2r dacs I would add Okto Dac 8 Stereo to the list. Price around $1.3k depending on options. This is only based on reviews but it seems to be a very well made dac that also measures better than almost any other.

Thanks for the additional suggested DACs. In August 2019 Our club
held a DAC It Out event which included the Cutest and it came in #3
in the blind test. Ahead was the Schiit Yggy ,the Jolida DAC ($750)
and the new Line Magnetic. All tube models. See AZAVCLUB.com
Events for the complete writeup.

I have come to believe that the associated test gear was so harsh that the tube DACs had an advantage. 

4 people from Chord showed up and watched the process proclaiming they were satisfied with process. 

At of today I am 3 days away from the end of my trial period for the Audio Mirror Tubadour I recently acquired, 

As I compare it to the Denafrips Ares I had the sound seems more involving without any ear burn I experienced with the Ares. I am not saying the $750 Ares is a dog, far from it. I wish I had started with the Pontus at $1,750.

The Audio Mirror base model I have @ $1,500 is being discontinued in favor of the more upgraded SE model @ $2,500.
If I keep the base model I will have it upgraded. BTW Vlad, the owner,
is a pleasure to work with and quite generous as well. He is getting busy though and as a one man show with a full time job I can foresee some
wait possible wait times. Worth it in my mind.