Have to agree that DAC changes can often be very difficult to hear any changes and then even more difficult to hear the worth of that change . About three years ago I managed to scratch an itch that I had for a long time and bought a pair of used dCS Delius / Purcell units . Now these are the very bottom rung of the dCS ladder and have long since been replaced by other more expensive models . However they do have the Ring DAC and they are very well made and they sound wonderful . I am often told that I really should look at replacing them with something more modern as the chip set is over thirty years old and things have moved on .
Well I have heard some of these more modern DAC,s from quite modest but heavily touted units to a few really high end ones . I have come to the conclusion that often the choice of the DAC is personal I heard a Ring DAC many years ago fitted at that time to a modest Arcam CD Player but really was impressed with the sound . Never bought one for various reasons . When the Delius/Purcell arrived and was plugged in and started up I knew my original view was the same now . No it is not the best for detail , no it is not the best for bass , no it is not the best for pin point placing of artists in a sound stage . Yet it does all of these things to a very high standard and then what makes it a keeper for me (lottery win not withstanding) is that it just plays music and sounds right . It convinces you that these are real people playing music it sounds right . In the end I think you have to find the DAC that does this for you then just relax and listen to some music