I have owned the Theta Pro Basic I and II dacs and found them nice at first but ultimately fatiguing. The Gen Va is a different story, but it is expensive. Many years ago I picked up a demo Micromega Duo BS2 dac, which, when coupled with a good transport, say a Parasound CBT 2000 and a good jitter reduction device is not fatiguing and does not sound like some of the stuff that passes for high end digital. The Micromega is the only dac I have heard that occaisionally comes close to getting a violin or accoustic guitar to sound like something you want to listen to-nowhere near close to live but at least it has a tiny bit of sweetness and bloom if the recording is done well. There are probably other dacs or cd players that can do this, but I have not heard them. I would also recommend that you listen to vacuum tube electronics. Few solid state electronics will likely get you the sound you want if you regularly listen to live unamplified music. Also you must consider component synergy. You can't just take a bunch of recommended components and think they will work well together. For speakers I would suggest listening to Vandersteen, Vienna Acoustics and Spendor. Some B&W's are not bright sounding and may work for you if properly matched with appropriate electronics and front end.
Which direction would you go?
I have spent the last ten years living with a system that is to my ears unlistenable. I was sucked in by the stereophile recommended components list, and bought based on cost and ratings, rather than common sense and proper auditions. I ended up with the following: B&W 802 Matrix II's, a Threshold S350e amp, a Krell KBL preamp, and a front end comprised of a Theta pro Gen II and Data Mk II. As you might well imagine, I have endured bright, harsh sound in three different homes over the years. I tried room tunes (any buyers?) all manner of cables (I presently own Cardas Cross bi-wire) a CJ premier 10 pre-amp (not enough of a difference to justify the switch) and Cal audio front end. In frustration, I have sold the Krell, and the Threshold, and have active listings for the B&W and Cardas, and plans to sell the Theta as soon as possible. I listen mostly to small scale instrumental and female vocals from various genres. I enjoy Linda Ronstadt, Sara K, Rickie Lee Jones, Allison Krauss, Annie Lennox, Dixie Chicks, Etta James, Karen Carpenter, Joe Sample, Miles, Ronnie Earl, Govi, Willie and Lobo, Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, and so much more. I have front row center seats for the NY Philharmonic for the last fifteen years and have seen more concerts than I could name. I was set on the idea of downsizing to a home theater setup, Integra receiver and DVD/CD with Definitive Technology pro 100 speaker system or maybe the NHT Super Series SB3. They seem to have OK sound on both music and movies, but I wonder if the trade-off is too great since 98% of the time I will be listening to music with only an occasional music video or movie. I am quite certain I have never heard my B&W's perform the way they should, but am not certain I wish to invest more money chasing the Holy Grail. (Also tried Bryston 4B). I have reviewed threads here and contemplated trying the Classe gear. I have also thought about selling the B&W's and buying a speaker with a silk dome tweeter or a propensity toward warmth. (Mission, Soliloquy, JM Labs, Vandersteen) My room is a LIVING room and dining room L shape, (20 x13 living attached to 14 x12 dining) and it is lively with 11' acoustical ceiling. In any event, I would like to avail myself of the multi-channel options while focusing on two channel performance. I keep my speakers on the long wall and listen near-field. I do not believe electrostats are an option for me due to size, placement, and WAF issues. Please let me know your thoughts, and be gentle as this is my first post here on Agon.