If you check out headfi forum they have an on going forum on the RME and most do not believe an upgraded lps will help. They say "RME doesn't recommend it" So I guess everyone believes different. I bought the RME and waited about 2 weeks for Teddy Pardo. Breaking it in with stock power supply I thought sound stage lacked and it was treble forward but that could have been break in. jjss49 I know what you mean by "zippy" no offense taken and RME was 2 dimensional and treble forward with no meat on the bones and most of all not engaging. Before the RME I tried the Qutest but it wasn't for me. I was looking to move on and sell RME. After about 6 or 7 weeks It became big and warm 3 dimensional with very inviting midrange and very smooth non fatiguing crystal clear highs. Crystal clear very transparent highs is something the MHDT can't do as well in my system. As good as RME soundstage became MHDT stage is a little better or different not night and day but very noticeable. I do find the RME responds very well to footers. I have the MHDT stock feet sitting on top of a preamp power supply with a fairly cheap USB and XLO signature output cables so it may be an unfair comparison while RME sits on Nordost footers under the maple and golden sound jumbos footers under the RME . I do find the MHDT can fall apart on fast complex fusion, jazz or busy music but can be more engaging than the RME at times certainly with small acoustic jazz which is very important to me. I think these dacs are very system dependent, what sound good to me sounds bad to others. Honestly I wouldn't want to be without one or the other depending on the mood I'm in. Sometimes I will listen to the RME for a week or so and then the MHDT for a week or 2 or switch between the 2 in the same night. I need to get the MHDT a better input cable and platform to see what happens, both the RME and MHDT source is Auralic g1.
