@mattshere Keeping an open mind about your entire system, including your speakers is important...no matter what your final choices are.
@grey9hound was helping in that regard. You might be surprised how your "weighting" adjusts when you hear something that moves you.
In terms of a DAC, I suggest focusing less on the "tech" and more on the sound quality. There are many reasonably priced DACs, including older ones that nail this. This will allow you to focus on a "pure" integrated.
The other option is to consider integrateds with Streaming / DAC modules. This may address your 'future-proofing' concerns.
@grey9hound was helping in that regard. You might be surprised how your "weighting" adjusts when you hear something that moves you.
In terms of a DAC, I suggest focusing less on the "tech" and more on the sound quality. There are many reasonably priced DACs, including older ones that nail this. This will allow you to focus on a "pure" integrated.
The other option is to consider integrateds with Streaming / DAC modules. This may address your 'future-proofing' concerns.