Effective recommendations to add warmth & smoothness while keeping bass control

@lanx0003 The Schiit Wotan is also a superb contender for your budget. I am guessing I am going to sell that since the Schiit products sell in minutes for me.

BTW - I have a Schiit Yggi+ MIB DAC that is pending an upgrade to the Singular. Cost for me is $1500 + shipping and tax to do the upgrade, it is $2k people buying used.

I have decided to cancel the upgrade because with the Imersiv DAC I am not going to listen to any other DAC I may have.  The MIB is an R2R DAC that is slightly warm on top and appreciated by a lot of headphone folks. I loved it on my phone but really loved the Yggi+ OG on my 2-channel. I sold the Yggi+ OG yesterday. I am selling the MIB or can send it to Schiit for the Singular (also called Byggy) upgrade on behalf of a buyer.

BTW - some around here consider me a Schiit fanboy and I am, however, I am likely going to sell almost all my Schiit gear by the end of next week. It is a lot of gear.

BTW2 - Wow, that CODA #11 direct amp from my Imersiv DAC is killing it. Sounds so good.

3

Room treatments or room correction

@soix  I had a Schiit Saga 2 and also owned a Parasound Zpre3, but I mostly let it sit there because of the Saga 2. Now the Saga 2 sits unused as well, since it doesn’t really help either on Tone. The preamp section of the D90 III Discrete, when paired with the Volumio Rivo Plus, renders as smooth sound.

Also thinking about the LTA MicroZOTL Pre (Level 3), but it’s over my budget and I haven’t been able to find a used one...

Yeah I’d definitely focus on the preamp at this point.  Here’s a nice Backert Rhumba 1.3 that’d be well worth the stretch to $2600 IMO, and you can obviously roll tubes to tailor the sound for as much or little warmth as you want.  Best of luck.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650230657-backert-rhumba-13-preamplifier-outstanding-piece-perfect-condition/