I recently got a new Chord QuteHD DAC. It uses some really interesting technology:
DAC Technology
Its the real deal all right. When fed with the Off-Ramp and using a good linear power supply it was better than my beloved PDX - but at the time it was using some experimental valves that turned out to be not that good. When the old valves were put in things evened out a fair bit so it was then fairly close.
However via DSD its supreme - none of the PCM DAC's I had available could touch it and that was using its rather ordinary switching mode power supply.
Check out the thread over on SNA here is Australia:
Chord QuteHD DAC Listening Impressions - CD (Including DAC's) & Other Digital Sources - StereoNET Australia
My next step is to check it out with a battery supply a tech I know is building for me.
Thanks
Bill