[slow_down]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/technology/circuits/25basics.html?ref=circuits

There's a pretty decent layman's discussion of USB DAC's and the pro's/con's of tubes, with looks at the Benchmark DAC1 and Wavelength Brick.  The article contains some contentions and suggestions that even I as a complete audiophile newbie would take immediate issue with, but still sorta fun to see this stuff discussed in the mainstream press.