Regarding break in, I have the HPA-9 and it's still improving after several months. Granted, I don't get to listen for as much as I would like so the hours aren't all that high yet, but still, it's been awhile. I really didn't like it all that much even after 48 hours of run in, kinda flat sounding in tone and soundstage, but man it's really gotten better and better as time goes on. It always had great detail and dynamics, now it has a sweet tone and an expansive soundstage as well. Anyway, I'm thinking if you like your DAC-9 now it's just going to get better as time goes by, at least into the hundreds of hours.