Emm Labs DV2 versus Tambaqui

@melm As an amateur recording engineer for an orchestra, chamber group and multiple choirs as well as a chorister for 50+ years, I too prefer hearing live music in a good/great venue and can use that as a reference.  Unfortunately, as with bad recordings, I've performed in mediocre venues as well.   

and @metaldetektor  I didn't intend to side track the discussion.   I have a $20K analog front end and have attempted to equal it in CD playback.   Some older CD players have sounded exceptional as they sound more like analog (Kyocera 310/410, haven't heard the 710).   I last used the EAR acute for 15 years.   Seeking a more detailed and clean sound, I ventured into separates about 3 years ago.   I purchased a very well reviewed pair of DACs priced at $5K and $9K which I don't want to mention as I intend to sell them.   The lesser priced one was warm and better than my EAR but lacked refinement/detail with frequency extremes truncated.  The more expensive DAC is superior to the other in all those three ways but is sterile sounding/not warm at all.   Plus, I realized the 1 second buffered delay blurred the sound.  It does sound very good as a steaming DAC but not through the SPDIFs (each has a different sound as well).   Gorgeous design and build though. 

Instead, I have chosen a extreme modified Benchmark 1HDR.  My friend replaced a pair of 50¢ regulators with $50 ones, recapped the power supply with audio not computer grade caps that it comes with, added another custom audio board, etc.  This unit has it all sonically.  My cost $2000.   I still wonder if the Luxman D-03X is a better/compact package than his DAC which requires a transport and digital cable.  Sometimes I feel that a single concept unit is better.     

@laoman You've put together a great list. I like all three of those brands. I have not heard the Pasithea, but I did take the Morpheus for a spin. I'd expect the Pasithea to be (even) quieter and more resolving than the Morpheus. 

On the Mola Mola, I've been using an inexpensive ($100 range) XLR interconnect. The DAC only has XLR analogue outputs, but a pair of nice XLR-RCA adapters are included. I have a pair of honest RCA interconnects, so at some point I'll try the Mola Mola with those and the included adapters.

What system (amps / speakers) will you be slotting the new DAC into?

@arafiq 

I don't get what you  mean when you say: ". I’m sure it’s a very good dac, but these underhanded tactics are definitely raising suspicions." Are suggesting some kind of conspiracy?

@metaldetektor, Finkteam Kim and Aesthetix Mimas.

@laoman Your amp has some similar design principles as mine, but I'm not familiar with the speakers. Hopefully you can home audition from a dealer. If that's not a possibility, if you can buy these on the used market, you can effectively do an extended home audition without incurring too much expense.