From what I've read before, (and with your past experience with the 5.2), I would take a test ride on a '13 or '14 Madone before I made a jump to a Domane. The improvements in '13 were supposedly ride significant and you don't get into that stiff front/ compliant rear thing mentioned so often. I rode both before I bought my 5.2 Madone and that aspect alone made up my mind. If you read some reviews the Madones from '13 up are frequently mentioned as having an outstanding ride quality. I never had the opportunity to compare it to an earlier version myself however. I tried so many different bikes and brands... nothing felt better to me. A similar level Synapse was the closest to compare with the 5.2, (to my experiences), but the fit and geometry was better on the Trek to my body. Your best bet is to ride everything you can and take detailed notes.