Have you heard LTA Aero, Lab12 Reference, Denafrips Pontus 15th?

I got an Aero DAC on 4 April 2026. I did compare it to a Lab12 DAC1 Reference and the internal DAC in my Marantz SACD 30n. 

The interesting thing is that I ordered the Aero with stock tubes. (I like to do some tube researching and rolling, having a tube pre and a tube phono stage.) 

I was expecting the stock tubes to be GE 12SN7 tubes. (That’s what all the reviews had said.)

It came with RCA 12SN7GTA tubes. RCA tubes were the ones I was planning to get to roll in. 

I do not know if somehow I got really lucky and someone at the factory made a mistake, or if these are now the new stock tubes.

But they sound excellent—as does the DAC.  Everyone is correct:  the Aero is a keeper.  It is not going back. 

How would you say the Lab12 compared with the Aero?  It sounds as though your preference was the Aero, yes?

  I never believed an outboard DAC could make a difference over the internal SABRE DAC of my Pathos Classic Remix Mk.II,but last December I had some play around $ & decided to give one a try..
 Bought a Pontus 15th..Initially I wasn't impressed..Slowly though,I started noticing little things I never noticed before..There was a subtle change to instrumental tone..Things started to sound,for lack of a better way to describe,more saturated,more vivid,more alive..
 After 6 months I am so impressed with the organic sound,the increased staging in width & depth,as well as pinpoint imaging,I am seriously considering flipping the Pontus & moving up to an LTA Aero!!!