cyba

"I'm wary of Taiwanese goods and normally wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole, but this DAC is an exception to that rule. " Hmm. Your perogative, for sure, and I'm glad you've found one exception. However, IMO, Machinehead's right, "Taiwan is the new Japan, and the products they produce CAN be superb. They certainly have the manufacturing and engineering skills to produce products of equal quality to any country in the world." As an aside, you may want to check, e.g. the mobo and graphics card in your PC and the graphics card, should it have one, in your Mac. I assume we're trying to keep an open mind re. DACs, especially, value for $$$. Taiwan and China - well, Hong Kong (Wai Wai Valve Co) - may offer very good solutions. Otherwise, we'd all be buying an AudioNote DAC 5?

A new (?) possibility. Needs researching.. http://www.intl.onkyo.com/products/accessories/ri-dock/nd-s1/index.html Add No. Forget.

"Since this card is mainly for professional recording card" Important point. Overkill? Diminishing returns..? "Do you have any "outside the box" suggestion?" Zhaolu D3 DAC and Peachtree's Decco2..? Google them.

Socrates, are you using digital/optical/S/PDIF signal straight off the mobo into a DAC? I'll head that way (external.) Ah, I see you have the Legato. That's USB? I'm looking closely at the Zhaolu D3 DAC and Peachtree's Decco2. I plan to use only my Sennheisers, for a start. Smallest footprint. The ADM9.1 system (above) looks interesting, and expensive, but I can't listen to it where I am, there's no agent that I can see. That's probably a blessing. I'll opt, at the moment, for biggest bang, smallest (relatively) buck and work upwards if I have to..taking careful note of the forum (a Godsend) comments.

You might research the Sugden Bijou™ Audiophile Mini-System too. I expect this is a more expensive option (Linn, Arcam.) I'm also on the lookout for a decent 'out of the box' high quality ('phile) mini system. I've tired of hunting about for and matching components, though, it's likely finding good matching speakers will always be an issue with this level of equipment. The Linn Solo/ Solo Micro Musos don't appeal to me even with the Logo sub. Naim have released the Uniti, a sort of micro, which is typically upgradeable (i.e. add in additional Naim components.) I built my current audio system using this method and would advise caution: for me it went on and on ($$$$$!!)

FYI: see my comments, below, re. this card.. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Recommended-Sound-Cards (scroll down to 'If Only You Were Right..')

If only you were right. I fell for the Asus Sonar Essence STX's "Burr Brown DAC, Nichicon "Fine Gold" capacitors, swapable opamps, perfectly shielded EMI-free analog output path, audiophile headphone soundcard", etc. and bought one. I sold it within the week. It sounded plain 'dull'. Some of you might reply, "Yes - probably - compared with the (undesirable) 'over-brightness' of your previous card or (horrors) onboard audio chip and drivers.." I'm more inclined to think it may have been the default (cheapest) opamp. Maybe. It was so disappointing I just wanted rid of it. The Essence, by the way, replaced an M-Audio 2496..I wish I'd kept it. I use Sennheisser HD 25 SP IIs and, occasionally (with the PC), Senn 600s which I bought with and for my stereo - fyi http://www.naim-audio.com/products/system_6.html I *think* I have an aural ear..