Does a Tube Dac make sense?

@jjss49 and mahgister, thank you and I appreciate your gracious comments.

@dletch2,
You are correct, it is not the 1970-1980s. Science and technology have advanced significantly since then. Yet discovery and rigorous research continue to reveal ever more about human physiology and function.
My point in the post above is acknowledging there are still things that lie outside our complete understanding and explanation as it pertains to auditory processing pathways.

I’m unaware of any neurologist or neuroscientist who’d say every aspect of human hearing is fully understood. Far beyond the 1980s level of comprehension yet still unable to account for what humans are capable of hearing by supporting /certifying measurement. I wholeheartedly agree that much can be measured but that’s different from everything can be measured in this regard.

Could you provide a short list of the DACs you are familiar with that lack any sonic signature (As you wrote, Not to have a sound)?  I would really appreciate that.
Charles

I’m using a Wells Audio Cipher tube dac right now. It replaced a Holo Audio May.  Sounds more “real” and “natural” to me.  Some will like the former, some the latter. Both $4k-5k.  Designer of the Wells says he tubes he uses 12bh7 are more linear than some others.  Who knows?

Seems to me the goal of a DAC should be accuracy. It seems like a crapshoot to try to color the sound with tube distortion at the DAC level, especially when you're already coloring it at the preamp level. Who knows what combination of distortion you'll get. You can get an SS DAC with well below audible distortion for under $150, like the  S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MK II.

The naysayer that make blanket statements that tube DACs are inferior clearly aren’t speaking from experience. I couldn’t be happier with my MHDT Orchid tube DAC coupled with my BAT VK-5i tube preamp and BAT VK-600 class A solid state amp.

It all depends on how one builds a system. To my way of thinking I want the dac to maximize resolution and minimize coloration. Coloration can be incorporated from elsewhere in system.
My Sabre chip dac would likely be considered on analytical side of spectrum. I have the ability to color with various iterations of system, dac direct to amp, dac through two choices of passive preamps, dac through tube buffer, dac through active tube pre. I can get this maximum resolving and perhaps cooler sounding (to some) dac to make music sound rather clinical or bring natural, real human performers into room.

My issue with tube dacs is not with potential colorations, I'm just not convinced they're maximally resolving.