I have been eyeing the JDS Labs Element II desktop DAC/amp for about a week now. It looks great (I want the huge volume knob), it has all the power I would ever need, and it has gotten some great reviews regarding its sound quality and the excellence of its amp. I have almost bought it twice, and have almost bought its cheaper, older sibling, the famous Objective2+ODAC once from JDS and once from its other US manufacturer, Mayflower Electronics.

The main thing holding me back is that I already have a pretty great DAC/amp, the (discontinued) Oppo HA-2se. I want to upgrade to a desktop model mainly to have more sturdy piece of equipment at my (admittedly already crowded) desk. I have had problems with my Oppo sliding off my desk. I wouldn’t mind higher quality DAC and amp, though I probably wouldn’t be able to tell if it is any “better” than what I already have. Lastly, I think I just love audio gear. I would love to test a bunch of it and have a few pieces I really like around the house so I can use them all the time.

I have to stay strong, though, and avoid spending more money on my audiophile hobby, because I think my current equipment is already delivering me as much quality as my somewhat damaged ears can discern.