You can even just get something like a d30 pro since dacs above a few dollars only give you more features not greater performance.

Having tried both the v2 and stealth in the last few weeks, they are nearly identical. The stealth has a bit more energy in the upper treble which can come across as more detailed, and it has a miss intimate soundstage which I honestly enjoy. If you wanted the v2, just get a stealth.

The difference between the stealth magnets is mostly marketing imo, but it does suck that the old leather box is no longer included. It’s just a cheap mass manufacturer cardboard which is a shame. I ended up keeping the leather box when I sold my he1k to try out the stealth haha.

They can make a difference, but as long as you have enough power you really shouldn’t notice it. Make sure it meets the specifications you need at the price you want and eq for everything else.

Tube amps are different for sure, I run a tube for my verite, but it’s for a particular sound.

I’d say buying a DAC is more about features than it is about sound. Some features on an rme DAC for instance wouldn’t be able to cram in a $100 DAC.

As for amps I’m a bit torn. I think it really depends on your headphones more than anything. The amp on my rme sounds a bit thin comparing it back to back with my burson but it very well could be it’s not perfectly volume matched. I did a blind test and had my gf switch it and I could tell, but who knows.