Marvey, I suspect the top of this chart will need quite some space if you ever hear the MSB Signature 5 stack (I2S from MSB UMT LAN). I have enough time with it, to say there are no favours to Yggy or Theta V A to compare them with this animal. There's no point. It's not even a matter of interfaces or transports, the gap is too big. But then again we're talking about 40k, so it better did something for this asking price. What's worse though is that there are upgrades to the Signature 5 I am hearing, then Diamond 5 and Select DAC models. WTF those do, I am not even sure I want to know. It's too much already.
Back to more fathomable lands. Now what I need to hear is the MSB Analog with signature PSU and UMT LAN I2s or Network Renderer, vs Quad USB (my Analog is not at home until next week). And yes Theta V A, for example, scales well when fed from the UMT AES via LAN. But it's only so much it can do with 90s tech. Damn enjoyable sound though.
I will have Sorrodje's Total DAC A1 here soon - that should be interesting too. I have just the right transport for it.