Music Server with no DAC?

Just my $0.02. Its a great unit, esp w the Modwright Signature treatment.

I'll add .02 more cents and you'll have all of .04 cents towards your new Transporter. A big second vote for the Modwright Signature TP as a superb digital front end, either via network (wireless or ethernet) or via various digital inputs using a decent transport. Dan's output stage is excellent and very responsive (in my system) to tube changes. The AKM DAC in the Transporter is very good (at least one Esoteric player uses an AKM DAC), and, as Swampwalker points out, especially so via the Modwright output. I think the MWTP is not likely to be bested by most DAC's in the typical $1-3K pricepoint and you'll likely find your DAC redundant and one extra box you don't need. Disclaimer: Modwright is a client of mine. I'd say the DAC chip is not the big expense, as Swamp points out. Also it's more likely folks are looking for a one-box solution rather than having an extra box. If you love your DAC, and don't mind extra boxes, why not just get and Airport Express and use the optical output (Toslink mini) into a good de-jitter device like the Empirical Pacecar to your DAC of choice? I'm no fan of the AE's stock digital out, but I'd bet the Pacecar would bring it up to snuff.

The Berkeley Alpha DAC surely blows away - and I mean really blows away the Transporter, particularly at 24/192.

Is this speculation on your part, or have you actually heard the two in the same system and compared? Have you seen the interior of a Berkley DAC? I don't think you'll ever see it coming down to $1.5K with the amount of work it must take to build one (that IS speculation on my part). There's always going to be one step better...the carrot on the stick attached to your head just out of reach. When does one start enjoying what they have? I'm in a similar place as Grant describes. The MWTP simply does not have any glaring flaws or even minor flaws that calls attention to itself. I don't doubt it might be bested by other things out there in critical listening comparisons, but I wouldn't speculate or waste time or energy thinking about it when there's so much music to be enjoyed, and absolutely nothing about what's coming out of my system leaves me wanting to dissatisfied with it. I have gone through a few DAC's and players before this, and also have made some direct comparisons to some comparably priced digital front-ends in a very revealing system, and I have to say I'm very happy with what this does for me. You asked for direct comparisons so this is what I've compared the MWTP to in several blind tests with various types of music: Empirical Modified Northstar DAC with Empircal Pacecar via i2s, Electrocompaniet EMC-UP, MHDT Havana with and without Pacecar. My friend and I ran blind listening sessions on each of these in his very revealing system and listening room. In every case we both chose the MWTP over the other front ends. The closest, believe it or not, was the MHDT Havana using the Pacecar. That combination was the most difficult to judge for me, and I'd say my blind call on that might have been swayed as the differences simply were not as pronounced as with the others. Sorry, I've done no comparisons with anything else that you've asked about. Again, I'd point to using a dejitter device like the Pacecar on one of the servers that provide a digital stream to your favorite DAC. I also can't really relate to speculation in terms of investment on returns. Everyone has a different threshold as to what they're willing to pay for the enjoyment of something, and I wouldn't presume to know someone else's. Everything changes, and these days at a rapid pace. The world is always in flux. Life is fragile and short and completely unpredictable when you get right down to it. Again, the same question comes to mind...when does one start enjoying what they have?