Is my Cal Audio Sigma II too old?


It seems like I have had my Cal Audio Sigma II DACs for 12 years or more. Is this too old? Have DACs come that much further since it was made? I always liked the warmth of this tube based DAC and currently have a Telefunken smooth plate in it and still enjoy the sound. Regardless of its age, it still sounds less harsh than the DAC built into the Sonos Connect I use for my digital listening. This is connected to a NAS drive with redbook cd flac files. I don’t really have the 2 grand at the moment for a Benchmark 3 or a Mytek Brooklyn but I’m not sure I need or want all that additional functionality. I just use it to decode the digital signal. Would a more modest DAC outshine this older unit?

The rest of the system consists of a McIntosh C712 preamp, McIntosh MC2102 tubed power amp and Magnepan 1.7i speakers.
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Showing 4 responses by mzm6bb

Thanks for the input.  I realize the C712 is a weak link but I am someone who cannot live without tone controls, in this case the loudness knob.  I have been considering a C46 due to the 8 band EQ but I'm not sure how much of an upgrade it would be.  The C712 also has some sentimental value because I am the original owner since 1993 and it was my first decent piece of gear.
Schitt has already been in the back of my mind and whilst there may be shills on here, I'm actually thinking the Schitt Bifrost MultiDac may suit my current budget.
I really appreciate all of the feedback!  I don't post on here lightly as I know how many are annoyed at those who can't even perform a simple Google search.  For now, I've listed my Sigma II for sale and plan on acquiring a Schitt BiFrost MutiDac.  The reviews seem generally positive and it fits my limited budget and the source material I listen to.  I was floored when I dug out my sales receipt for the Sigma II and realized I've owned this DAC for 17 years.  I'm 44 years old and this was my 2nd outboard after one of those cheap Audio Alchemy $150 jobs back in the late 90s.  I think the BiFrost will get me by for the next couple of years until I have no more nanny payments and then maybe I can afford something along the lines of the Yggdrasill.  Now I just need to figure a reasonable upgrade to the C712.  I so wish someone offered a reasonably priced basic tube preamp with nice tone controls.
I ended up getting a Schiit Bifrost multibit DAC and liked it so much that a week later I ordered a Freya line stage with the Loki mini for tone controls.  The Freya was very harsh at first but settling in nicely now.  I've just ordered some new Tung Sol 6SN7s which should hopefully improve it even more.  I think this will keep me happy for awhile.  Now I just need them to release the big brother to the Loki so I can run balanced cables as the Loki sits in between the DAC and the line stage.  As it stands right now, I have no tone controls for my turntable or phono stage since I was using the phono stage built into the Mac preamp.  The build quality of the Schiit products is pretty good considering the price point.  I realize a lot of features are excluded to keep the prices down but it would be nice to be able to dim the LED lights and have a light on the volume knob to see its position.  Other than that, the only dislike is the loud clicking of the attenuated volume control.