Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD


Hi All.

Putting together a reference level system.
My Source is predominantly standard 16/44 played from a MacMini using iTunes and Amarra. Some of my music is purchased from iTunes and the rest is ripped from standard CD's.
For my tastes in music, my high def catalogues are still limited; so Redbook 16/44 will be my primary source for quite some time.

I'm not spending DCS or MSB money. But $15-20k retail is not out of the question.

Upsampling vs non-upsampling?
USB input vs SPDIF?

All opinions welcome.

And I know I need to hear them, but getting these ultra $$$ DAC's into your house for an audition ain't easy.

Looking for musical, emotional, engaging, accurate , with great dimension. Not looking for analytical and sterile.
mattnshilp

Showing 14 responses by cerrot

Good bass (tight, taught or otherwise) is not predjudiced by either solid state or tubes. Its either good or it isn't. I have heard great tube bass and great solid state bass.

And I have heard both poor as well. Its not the wand, but the magician.
You should be THRILLED with the Esoteric K01. All else in the price class is lagging...

disclaimer-I wish I had one.
Transistors and tubes are as perfect as the design they are implemented within.
I was at the show yesterday and the Lampi guys really nailed it. One of the best sounds. So did the Naim/Focal guys (the smaller Focals blew away the larger focals with VAC gear on the 2nd floor.
If the room is over pressurized, how does adding more pressure solve the problem? I'd look at taking the room out of the equation, as well as the crossovers. I have not ever heard box speakers sound good in a small room. Matt, try external crossovers - that will really open up your world of choices for time & phase coherent accuracy as you'd be doing it yourself. You need to take control, brother. This will consume you.
Matt - I am totally impressed at how you are going about your speaker purchase (and cd/dac audition). You are doing it with class. If I were a dealer, I'd give you the keys to my store (and a nice discount).
To me, its all internal. A warm sound makes me feel, well, warm. Cozy, comfortable, back to all the good things that I may have ever known. A rich sounds is, to me, more adventurouse. A tad more involving. Maybe a little more dynamic, but not meaning a warm sound necessarilly lacks dynamics, just brings other aspects of the presentation to the forefront more profoundly.
Not necessarilly, audiolabyrinth. Heres my take. I truly believe that when you put the proper system together, there are no words to describe what you hear (or, what you experience), just the emotion it makes you feel. My very neutral stseym portrays rich recordings richly and warm recordsings warmly...but I don't hear warmth or richness but its the way my mind and body respond to what I hear.
...and the new Jeff Rowland Daemon sounded absolutely STUNNING at the NY Show yesterday. Best of sound for me.
Lawrence audio. Best of show, forme. You could dance around the bass strings. Sounded like home. That last breath that we chase is handed to us by Jeff Rowland.
Matt - sorry for delay (Happy Thanksgiving). They were the Lawrence Cello's. It played 'music', Matt. Real music. You had to see Jeff smile.
I am thrilled to see the downside of USB being finally understood and the superiority of the interfaces finally being explored.  USB really sucks.  It really does.  
Close, but no cigar.  I am glad that USB is finally getting a look at that it just may not be the end all to PC audio.  The problem with USB (and why they sound so different, so unstable, prone to everything) is because USB data is transmitted in packets, and not a stream.  I just use spdif and have not played with the ethernet, etc but I have always kept away from USB.  USB is a belly button.  Every computer has one. PC manufacturers wanted to keep customer service costs down, so came up with usb audio, rather than having you open up your computer to install a sound card.  USB is the anus of your computer. I do't want my music coming out of there.