Howie and Erik, I will tell both your wives everything unless you sell me your discarded DAC2X's for $2k each.
Regarding CAPS V3 and processing power, last night was the first time I encountered the need for any more cpu power (my CAPS V2+ is really simply a CAPS V3 Lagoon but was designed with Chris's help before he released the naming conventions of CAPS V3). I was trying to run my Mytek 5.1 DSD J RIver USB prototype with higher-than-24/192 5.1 surround files (2L DXD surround!) and found that it buffered often. This was simply a test to see if overtaxing the cpu was causing a clicking issue Mytek and I were hearing in DSD. It is not. Anyway...unless you need to do some DSP or heavy (larger than 5.1 DSD) multichannel a Caps V3 Lagoon sized server will handle any 2 channel you throw at it. But Dirac Live or any other DSP will likely tax an Intel 2800 mobo doing DSD. If I stay with the Mytek 5.1 setup I will build a dedicated simple CAPS with a larger cpu (Zuma's Dh77EB but simple case, etc) and more RAM.
Has anyone been able to hear the Analog and compare it to the "intermediate" DAC IV setups? (Note: if I missed it above I apologize; simply point me). IOW, is there a gap filler (sonically) between the Analog and the max'd Diamond Plus that Priaptor is demoing. As discussed earlier, the options, especially clocks, are ridiculously priced and almost usury IMO, taking advantage of captive audiences.