SMSL DL200 the best ever value DAC/AMP?

[SPCL9806]

Quick question for anyone reading… How does the DL200 stack up to the competition these days? I’ve been informed by the internet (since I bought the TA-66 OTL tube amp) that I should be upgrading my DAC. But the DAC in the DL200 is supposed to be quite good, or at least it was a couple of years ago when I bought it.

Are people just full of it telling me my DAC is shite or should I actually look at something else to pair with my tube amp?

I purchased the DL200 2 years ago. It was a major improvement to the Audioquest Dragon Fly I previously used but after listening to it during Amazon's 30 day return window, I chose to send it back in favor of SMSL's DO300EX. I find the DO300EX to be warmer than the DL200 but the highs in both DACs seem a bit off. I suspect the warmth of the DO300EX will duplicate the tube warmth you are getting with your TA-66 OTL

Lately, I have been following the Topping DX5 II, which uses the same DAC chip as the DL200 but now the Laiv Crescendo Verse R2R DAC has really peeked my interest. The Verse is roughly 2-3x more expensive so you may not be interested in it, but I certainly am.

 

[MbphotoX]

It's a transparent DAC with stupid low noise-floor..
the only thing affecting your sound will be the headphones/speakers used, and the source material, of course.

(if you use a tube amp, or any other amp, then that might affect the sound, too, depending on the impedance of the drivers in the phones/speakers)