Thanks, but what I'm looking for is something like the Leema Acoustics Element DAC & Preamp
@amirm posted today. The Leema has it all, for a hefty price, but it doesn't perform well according to testing. I haven't seen a DAC/Preamp combo with headphones out and all kinds of inputs (optical, RCA analog, USB, etc.) and RCA and balanced out that tests well. My head is starting to ache over the time I'm spending here (though the content is most excellent) and the number of times I've seen something close, like the Leema, but it tests poorly or, like the Topping EX5 tests well but has limited inputs. And, I don't want to replace the CD player. My impression is that the digital audio market is saturated by very fractured and the Swiss army knife I'm looking for isn't there. I don't want 3 or 4 separate boxes/expenses to do what one box and maybe a A/D phono pre ought to be able to do.
And for today's laugh: I bought the Freya S from Schitt thinking it was my unicorn because it had A/D, volume control and and headphones out. Ah, but the hole is for the infrared not headphones! Read thrice; order once and never get excited over a piece of metal. *Sigh*