I'm using a Kora Hermes tube DAC with a Theta Pearl transport, and even with tubes in the path I don't hear or sense any filtering. In my system I feel the Kora is more open, detailed and refined than the Bel Canto DAC 1.1 it replaced. Plus having the flexibility of being able to try different tubes gives you some control over the character of the sound, especially if you can get your hands on some of the NOS variety.
The Pearl is quite affordable at around $600 used, and uses the Pioneer Stable Platter mechanism. When I switched to this combo from the DAC 1.1 a faint series of clicks has become audible while directly accessing tracks of a CD. They're so faint however, they don't ruin the musical experience for me.
The Pearl is quite affordable at around $600 used, and uses the Pioneer Stable Platter mechanism. When I switched to this combo from the DAC 1.1 a faint series of clicks has become audible while directly accessing tracks of a CD. They're so faint however, they don't ruin the musical experience for me.