Dodson DA-217 vs. Theta Pro Basic IIIa??

I own the Dodson 217 D, but without the newest mods. I understant that the new software upgrade aids midrange sweetness. I would suggest that you find a 217 with all these latest mods. If upgraded, I would guess that it would beat the Theta.

i had a preowned dodson in my house for a weekend.

it was nice... i would not call it bright in my system. i found it smooth and coherent.

i compared it againest a sony 555scd, marantz 8260, phillips 963sa

the marantz and the philips sounded remarkably better for less money and included the transport and had SACD.

if you are looking for a warm sounding unit the marantz 8260 is pretty amazing. it doesnt upsample, but the redbook sound is pretty close to sacd. build is very well and can be found for $600 to $700.

the lower price philips is very nice too. the sony was very hi-fi in its presentation ( nice botttom end though)
i would have to say the lastest generation of inexpensive processors blows away what 2k-3k dac of 3 years ago.

hope that helps!!

mike

Mikesinger - I don't mean to be critical, but without specifics about which iteration of the Dodson you were listening to, such comparisons are pretty meaningless, at least to readers such as myself. I imagine there is some truth in what you say you about the latest generation of inexpensive processors. It's important to note that the Dodsons have been significantly improved over the years as well, however.