DAC Question: Delta-Sigma vs R2R

@larsman Personally, I would find both of those DAC’s on the dry side for my tastes

This is so true. Hence, should you be able to wade through my rant above, I do suggest that it might be an option to add something in the pre-amp or amp.

Like tubes.

SS? er, no, it’d be like walking into a stainless steel bathroom to have a cold shower.

edit - no, that's not fair of me.  There are plenty SS which are warm.  In fact I often enjoy my Sansui au-555A from 1974 which was given to me by my grandchildren at the time when I retired.

@noske - Indeed, and I have a similar attitude - I love having tubes in my system - I've got a couple of good tube headphone amps, and in my 2-channel system, I use a Herron Audio tube preamp with an MSB SS power amp - both of those components are essentially colorless; they add no warmth but they are not dry and clinical - they do a great job of delivering the source, so the main effect on my sound is the DAC, and that's where I'm using the Holo May R2R DAC. 

I’d recommend MHDT Orchid or, if you run balanced, the Pagoda — both tubed R2R DACs and neither likely to tweak your tinnitus.  Not sure, but they might offer a trial period. 

GIGO, garbage in, garbage out. The real test is what you consider garbage. If you have normal hearing, whatever that is, then you need to know your taste. Reviewers generally need to sell advertising and if they slam a product they risk a loss of an income stream. Beyond that, do you know their predictions? If not, even if they are honest their advice may be worthless to you. I think that you were well advised not to go by the type of DAC it is. One point that I would make though is to always try to make your next purchase your last amp, DAC, preamp, etc. If not you are going to spend far more than had you saved up for forever gear. I have wasted a ton of money because I settled, or tried to buy gear to compensate for system issues. YMMV

@larsman both of those components are essentially colorless; they add no warmth but they are not dry and clinical - they do a great job of delivering the source, so the main effect on my sound is the DAC, and that's where I'm using the Holo May R2R DAC. 

I have deliberately adopted an opposite approach as I've mentioned.  In my weaker moments I lust after an AGD Audion (class D) amp, which I suspect might be a bit humourless despite some people comparing them favourably to SET amps. This is bad - I do not like the SET amp signature sound.

Some distortion would be needed and should I be in a pleasant mood for a change it would be a toss up between a Holo May KTE or a Denafrips Terminator.  The folk at Holo are disciples of certain funky marketing gimmicks which does not impress me.