DAC - upgrade??? - which?

I have recently purchased a squeezebox duo and absolutely enjoy the functionality of the device. If I want the best I'll play vinyl but for ease of use the squeezebox wins every time - CDs are now only played once to copy onto my external hard drive. At the moment I play my digital sources through a NOS DAC - blue light plastic box - It is good, very good but Id like to get more out of my source material like emotion, involvement and subtlety; the essence that communicates the emotion and connectedness of the music. Should I be considering a DAC upgrade?

 

Dac

Hi Dreftar
jut bought a Lavry DA10. Replaced a Chord Dac64 / Blue combination. Not quite in the same league for detail, but also not as forward sounding. Plays music in a very nice involving way and has really REALLY grown on me. Personally I'd say it gives away very little to the Chord and is a steal for the money. Hard to find 2nd hand (I got mine recently for £650, almost brand new). Working seeking out...

 

A DAC upgrade will probably do some good, the built in sound from the SB is not great and I've never been too impressed with the cheap NOS DACs I've heard either.

The Lavry is unarguably very nice, but it is quite expensive if its not your main source and you don't need its volume control feature I guess.

 

my old MF a3.24 that's for sale on the wam - tho, I'm not selling it...

 

i have a mf kwm25 dac going cheap, great at the price,
nando

 

How cheap is cheap???:MILD:

 

Can I recommend the Audio Synthesis DAX Decade. I have had mine now for 2 years. I listened to the Chord DAC 64, Tri-Vista and others. The only other one I liked was the Bel-Canto but the build and finish on the AS DAX is superb. As a lover of vinyl replay this was the closest to having the warmth, body and 'air' of a good analogue set-up. Mine is the RCA only version but I have heard good things about black gate modded set-ups with balanced outs. There was a thread about the DAX sounding 'thin'. I get a full fat sound allied with immense musicality. Transport is a Tri-chord modded TEAC VRDS25, with a Trichord 75 digital interconnect, also very highly recommended ( I AB'd against a high cost Nordost and the Trichord was markedly superior)