As I've mentioned in another post, I'm trying to assemble an inexpensive computer rig for a friend. I know it's unlikely anyone has heard all the components, but anyone got any very positive or exclusionary experience with:
NuForce Icon & NuForce S-1 vintage DAC (likely Sonic Frontiers TransDAC/Assemblage DAC1) & Audioengine A2s
So USB DAC/amp & speakers versus DAC & active monitors. Leaning towards the latter (already have the DAC which would connect optically to his iMac), but both setups would in the end be ~$500. Unfortunately, buying both and returning the items of one set isn't possible in this case. Any words of advice?