The ASR is a very interesting unit...it looks like it would cost much more than $900. I heard it briefly this week over at Jeff's, and I'm hoping to get a shot at it after he's done.
My favorites in this price range have always been the fi Yph and the Tom Evans Audio Microgroove. The fi is very, very tubelike in its sound, and will make your entire system sound like tubes no matter what kind of amplification you're using. The Tom Evans is completely different, very clean and neutral, but not at all harsh. And it's dead quiet, too.