I’d just like to say how impressed I am by the DAC-9. My preamp needed repairs and I knew I was going to be without it for a while. After a bit of research I bought a used DAC-9 because of its analog volume control and its XLR outputs. And the sound quality was everything I had hoped for.
I have my preamp back but I’m still using the DAC-9, now strictly as a DAC, for its ability to convert DSD to analog. (Actually DoP, I gather, but that’s a mere technicality — it’s still DSD.) Once again, the SQ is superb. DSD files from my digital transport via the DAC-9 are superior to the same files outputted from my SACD player directly to my preamp.
Congratulations on making a great product at a real-world price. I made an informed decision when I bought the DAC-9, but it has exceeded my expectations by a considerable margin.