OK, I have read good things about these wee beasties and cannot deny I am tempted. However, let us take a step back a moment.
I am very happy with the performance of my CDP. Indeed, last night I did a quick comparison between a bog-standard CD version of Melody Gardot's 'My One And Only Thrill' and the version on Spotify Premium via USB. The latter does sound good. But spin the disk and a whole new depth of sound is to be heard. The DACMagic registers the CD as 44.1 but Spotify as 48 which is, in the simplest of terms, 'better'. Obviously there is more to it, but on the face of it, if I buy the Bravo I can convert from USB to coax or optical and gain a 'jump' in laptop to hi-fi speaker performance that seriously challenges the conventional hi-fi setup. True or false?
Now, my Dell Inspiron 6400 is beginning to get on a bit (having just passed its 4th birthday this year) and lacks (as far as I know) any optical or coaxial capability - hence my use of a USB cable to the DACMagic. I enjoy using Spotify on occasion, but rely mainly on my CD collection for listening. When it comes down to it, is it really worth splashing out on a Bravo at the 'bargain' price, or would I be better off to wait a while and consider my options when the current laptop pops its clogs? Spotify Premium gives me decent enough sound via my iBasso and earphones, and provides a good source for checking out recommended listening, but a direct replacement for my trusty Marantz??
Indeed, is the Bravo really that good? Has anyone tried and tested it? Do I need yet one more box and power supply cluttering up the audio-visual control module? Sure, it's under 100 Euros, but at our currently shoddy exchange rate, is it worth a go?