Analogish Digital Bliss - Finally

Today is my Birthday and in anticipation - I purchased a used Denafrips Venus II 12th.  For Christmas I purchased a DMP A6 streamer, a SMSL PL200T CD Transport, and a lesser DAC.  The DMP A6 was very nice but the DAC did not improve it or reveal the CD Transports potential.

Enter the Venus - I do not have opportunities to listen to other high end systems so I solicited information from many of you on this site.  I purchased an I2S (HDMI) from Ricable in Italy and a USB from Andrew Foster (AFAudio) in the UK.  Used I2S from CD Transport and USB from DMP A6.

I knew that so much was missing by listening to my LP12/Ittok LV II/MC X40/Linn Linto analog chain that is tuned to my taste...  The digital chain does not sound the same - nor did I expect it to, but the improvement is truly jaw dropping.  The details, the leading edge of notes, the decay of notes, the width and depth of the soundstage are brought out of the bits and then presented with a (not artificial) warmth that eases me into my chair and allows me to listen to the music and not the equipment.  I now see that value is not the $500 highly regarded DAC but in the $2k range.  I paid a hand full of hundreds less for the Venus II 12th than what a new Pontus 15th cost  and then spent those hundreds on the recommended cables.

Listening to the music and enjoying my time.