Another fan here of the Tact equipment. I use a 2150 amp in my main system (along with a 2.2x) and another 2150 in a second system with just a transport. The 2150 is a very good DAC, and also a very good amp, and I believe, quite a bargain at its price, considering that it replaces a DAC, an amp, a preamp and all intervening cables. Will it float your boat? Hard to say. Like Ali said, it's probably not for tube lovers. But it's sound is clean, clear, transparent, extended and dimensional with good inner detail, without grain or etch. Of course everything's relative when compared at a certain price point.
I've used several other digital amps, and as an amp I like the Tact better than any of the others, Bel Canto 300s, Modified PS Audio HCA2, etc.). Before the Tact, I'd owned a Gamut amp, and before that Pass and Bel Canto Evo monos. I also had an Audio Logic 24mxl DAC. While each of these had areas where they surpassed the Tact, the trade-offs made weren't that great and the benefits substantial. The stage isn’t quite as expansive as the Gamut was. Strings aren’t as sweet as with the Rowlands. Voices aren’t quite as natural as the Pass. Ease isn’t as fluid as with the Audio Logic. But it’s close in all these areas and brings its own strengths to the table, especially regarding liveliness and natural detail and dynamics.
I think the 2150 benefits greatly when partnered with the 2.2x preamp and room correction. Keeping the signal digital from transport to speaker cable has it's benefits and raises the 2150's value a notch or two. Still, I'd be hard-pressed to find a separate DAC, preamp and amp that sound anywhere near as good as the 2150 used as a stand-alone integrated, at its price point. In a third system I have a Northstar Sapphire CD player and BV Audio amp and preamp that cost more than 3x the Tact's price (before cables and power cords), and the Tact's definitely in the same league....
