R2R next? Don't like ESS

"@mattw73 I didn’t mean for my current thoughts of straight wire with a gain to come off like a negative."

Your thoughts and experiments are what matters most. It all comes down to your preference. Never apologize to anyone about what you hear yourself. Just like it did for the audio engineers doing the original recording, adjustments to the sound for emphasis and de-emphasis, mastering, way before you DAC.

If you want the most pure, go to a live performance, and then listen to how it all sounds based on the room and where you are seated in the room. Lots of variables. In the end, you'll end up keeping what sounds best anyhow. 

@decooney thumbs up to that. 

I haven't been to an intimate or small club music show in a long time. I'll listen to any live music with actual musicians though. During the summers in my area I'm able to experience a usually different genre in an outdoor kind of a Half Shell event every weekend if we are in the mood. Open walls on 3 sides so with an extremely high rooftop..so not exactly in the room but I'll take what I can get.  I love the sound of live drums/cymbals/drummers. 

@mattw73

I’m just more open to trying something that may be deliberately not as transparent or without the lowest THD.

I agree. I have an R2R DAC and a tube amp. I had a tube DAC and it just muddied things up too much. I had another DAC that was not R2R and it was just too bright, most of the time. So, on to a more expensive R2R DAC.

And of course I totally agree with you and with @decooney when he says it’s up to your preference. But that's like saying, "I'm for goodness." Who can disagree with this? Can’t fathom someone saying they want someone to tell them what their experience is. Pretty much impossible. So the real lesson is to not be railroaded about a particular approach to an engineering problem. Trust your ears. Ok, that's an easy lesson but maybe easy to forget in the fog of audio shopping.

Just to clarify, my point is perhaps best stated with an analogy:

A cast-iron skillet is better for pancakes.
A saucepan is better for poaching chicken.

No one is ever asked to choose one tool for different jobs!

So, when it comes to different kinds of music, different preamps might be better. That’s what I was attempting to illustrate. In other words, the false choice is the "either/or" rather than the "both/and."

And notice: this has nothing to do with you choosing what you prefer because of course that’s what we’re all doing! It’s about you (or me) recognizing that we might get more of what we prefer by having more than one preamp (or cooking pan).

Lots of recommendations for Denafrips and I agree with those. But nobody has mentioned Musician Audio which is another brand designed by the same people and built in the same factory as Denafrips. They all use R2R conversion and have a lot in common with Denafrips but with some unique designs to take them in their own direction.

They aren't as well known but I've read a few users who after trying equivalent priced units from each one tend to prefer the Musician Audio model. I've only heard their little Draco which is well under $1,000 and I thought it was much better than the most budget Denafrips which is the Aries. 

re: "preference" vs studying technical specs of components to decide. Here is an artificial intelligence response to a related query. Love it, hate it, or debate it - enjoy. I posted this since five of my audio friends prefer different audio systems.

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Why is it that humans lean to "preference" to what they hear versus studying technical specifications to decide what sounds best in a home audio system?

Great question! There are a few reasons why people might rely more on their ears than on technical specifications when choosing a home audio system:

1. Personal Preference: Sound is highly subjective, and different people have different tastes. What sounds good to one person might not sound as appealing to another. People trust their ears because they’re ultimately the ones who’ll be enjoying the system.

2. Complexity of Specs: Audio specifications can be complex and difficult to understand for the average consumer. Terms like frequency response, total harmonic distortion, and impedance might not be meaningful to everyone. It’s easier to just listen and decide what sounds best.

3. Perceived Quality: Often, listening to music or other audio can convey a sense of the overall quality and performance of a system in a way that specs on a sheet can’t. Hearing the clarity of vocals, the depth of bass, and the richness of tones can provide a more tangible experience.

4. Real-World Performance: Technical specs are measured under controlled conditions, but real-world performance can vary. Listening tests can reveal how a system performs in your own home environment, with your specific setup and acoustics.

5. Emotional Connection: Sound can evoke strong emotions and memories, and people might choose a system based on the emotional response it elicits. If a system makes their favorite music sound amazing, that’s often a more compelling reason to buy than any technical specification.

Listening experiences help people make a choice based on enjoyment and connection, which is ultimately the most important factor when it comes to home audio systems.