I received one this week. It’s a demo unit..XLR version…direct from Dan. Priced at a discount (unit’s mint condition). I’m keeping it. It adds harmonic body without the syrupy bloom of traditional tube preamps. It offers three signal paths, bypass (no influence-your system plays through as is), 6922 (nimble), 6SN7 (more weight)…in terms of overall presentation. Of the three modes…I prefer the 6922 signal path. I think it works in my chain because it’s extremely revealing/neutral/accurate. I’m not chasing tube warmth per se but rather body/added dimension in my rig.
Note: the unit shipped with JJ tubes (matter of fact in tonal quality to my ears). I fully understand why these are included (uniform reliable reference to pack out with the unit). The user can get a feel OOTB in terms of what the bridge does and doesn’t do to the signal via the included tubes (baseline). I replaced the tubes to suit my individual tastes (I gather most owners expect to do so).
I have the unit placed after the DAC & before the preamp driving signal into a pair of Bel Canto REF 601M mono-blocks & then onward into a pair of ATC SCM20 monitors. An SPL Audio DAC & pre amp is upstream.
I recommend the unit with one caveat. It’s likely not for those seeking to fix the sound signature of their system. It shapes the pre-existing tone in my rig. As with everything…it’s subjective. Try it you may like it. I can say it serves a unique niche (gap) & isn’t likely a one size fits all systems device. It’s a great device for those wanting to keep their pre isolated from a tube stage (bypass option, along with 2 signal tube paths that can be tailored via your tube preference/selection).
Enjoy the music!