"In other words, can you sell me on why I should upgrade?"
I'm not sure of the import of this question, so I will be brief, in response to your query...I have no intention of attempting to sell you anything.
First, I am a believer in non upsampled DAC's, they are clearly more musical, less digital. Most users will agree. I find that subtracting interconnection of components makes a rather large difference in the overall presentation, and I find that the Monica 2 DAC board exhibits uncommon synergy with this amplifier. It all represents a sort of optimal situation, where you take great components, great parts, and throw them all together into one environment. Less=More, and it proves itself once again, with this further minimalization of my stereo.
The Monica exhibits NO digital artifacts to my ears at all. I prefer it to my much loved-and-not-lost Nixon battery DAC. Owners are beginning to report back that this thing is truly a stormer of a source board. I agree. In fact, as far as I am concerned, it is destination audio, and it ain't goin' anywhere.
The ClariT amp with upgraded wiring, attenuator, and especially, the powerful Black Gate power supply capacitors makes this thing jump. It has tons of slam, even better speaker control, if that is possible, and overall a far more coherent presentation. The more sensitive your speakers, the better the results will be. People who wish to get the very best out of these amps need to consider true high sensitivity drivers in their speakers. Having said that, it seems the compatibility issue with the ClariT is less than we all thought. It will drive just about anything, including the notorious Dynaudios...
This last weekend I auditioned the RealiTAmp with the Edgarhorn Titans, which are 104db/8Ohm speakers, using TAD woofer, and JBL everywhere else, TRULY compatible with Vinnie's amp, and Dr. Edgar's invention was happy to make its acquaintance........along with cryo'd Electraprint magnet wire which I brought. In other words, we had the very best parts into the system that money could buy. The net result was that everyone, -mostly senior audiophools who love $$$$ tube equipment, were amazed at the increased resolution, bass that they thought was unavailable, overall coherency, serious slam, phatness, big wide, warm and delicious, creamy and smooth, and just more FUN, you name it. I personally preferred the Reali-T to an extremely expensive 300B amp that was on hand, and ownership does not bias my impressions in the least; in fact, I LOVE good tube amps. I am amazed that the Reali-T kicked that stuff to the curb, as far as my ears are concerned.
Walls that no man thought would fall
The altars of the just, crushed. Dust in the wind.
So there isn't any "tube sparkle," ...look at all this other stuff there is....like bass reach we didn't think there was in the Titans, detail hitherto unknown, was the sort of vibe and commentary the audition left in the minds of the others. To sum, Vinnie's amp made itself known in the very lap of the Arch-Lords of the American Hornspeaker this weekend, and THEY loved it. They were astonished, and they were sure this new stuff was going to catch fire.
If I had a 10K budget for audio, and wanted to hear my RealiT under optimal conditions, I would recommend the Edgarhorn Titan, a Reali-T and be done, as in for good. The better your speakers, the better it sounds. As always, YMMV...it's horses for courses. Every man for himself.
