How not to buy a DAC -- an audiofool journey

Audiofool, I like your writing skills.

A word of caution at large:

UPGRADITIS isn't covered by most medical insurances.

Costly decision making based primarily on $$$$s and emotion can be very risky business indeed.  Not my idea of fun.

Thanks @zlone  @mulveling . I didn't want people to go all TL;DR (too long; didn't read) on me so broke it into two parts.

Might be better to read the sequel than for me to post it, but that's where I curse the audiophile in me, for jumping to the summit too quickly.

@essrand you got me on the edge of my seat.  Do tell your thoughts!  That's a stacked list of DACs.  If you like hyperrealism throw the T+A DAC 200 on the list :)

Interesting journey and of course you are not a fool. It's called a hobby and for many men, it is costly. I also have 2nd hobby cars and believe me it is more coslty than this. It is not only the upgradeatitis. It is that you always wonder what could be better and of course ti have fun through these journeys. 

These days I was blamed from a friend for my hobby and later he told me he had given 10k for a coffee machine...  

I had similar itches like you, till I decided to design me own gear from scratch. More difficult journey than the one you had, I was lucky to be Electrical/Electronics Engineer PhD and maths/electronics was easy. Now I have evrything end game except the !@! speakers...