Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Paul, that is my point!

When budgets are very high and options are not restricted, it comes down to the sound that most pleases the purchaser.

This is why what Matt is doing is so great. He is taking his time to sample all the wares and will select what he likes best. It wont be the same choice we would all make, but in his journey that he documents, we get to have an inkling of his tatstes and idiosyncracies and so get a flavour of what some of these components are like. This can help us to screen for the charactereistecs we like and narrow our own search.

At this level...all the components are excellent, but some will suit us more than others.

And to answer your question...yes..its was a Golden Gate.

Vyokyong- thank you for your input. It's a shame so many of these horror stories about Vapor are on the Internet. Vapor and Salk seam to use similar drivers in different configurations. But Salk has nothing but raves of his humble nature, responsiveness, product quality and reliable delivery. While Vapor has great show presence and does have a strong following but also has this dark side on the Internet. If I am interpreting Vapor's issue correctly I believe that he probably handles most of his product and shipment without issue but when conflict or miscommunication exist he may not handle it well and let's his temper get the best of him; and because of the ease of the Internet those interaction are quick to make the front page (so to speak).

I can say that I have met them twice at shows and they have been very professional and put together very good rooms overall.

My impression with Vapor is to make sure everything is well laid out and there are no miscommunications. I have never read anything bad about product quality, just posts like the one above....

With that said, I'd very much like to avoid turning this fun thread into one of twenty Vapor obsessed threads that become nothing more then pissing matches.

So let's keep the Vapor talk to the Vapor threads please. I mentioned them as a point of review of the quality of sound in their room. That was all.

Matt,

I heard the MSB V Diamond with Galaxy clock at RMAF.....if only on CD....which was disappointing as I wanted to hear it in high rez PCM. but my impression on the familiar piano CD that they played is that the Trinity dac I'm now using is better, more tonally complete and more non digital sounding. granted; it's thru a whole different system than my own so any concept of comparison is provisional.

but if you are considering a dac that sells for $42k......then the Trinity dac starts to become a consideration. and considering the thread title.....

I'm just say'n....

the Trinity dac continues to astound me with it's magic. if the ultimate PCM is your goal.....I think this is it.

I've been a huge dsd fan for 15 years, and my 3000 CD's had sat 'dormant' for maybe the last 10 years unloved. with the Trinity dac as the impetus, in the last month I've ripped 1500 of my 3000 CD's and acquired more PCM hirez. I now have about 7-8 terabytes of PCM to go along with my 8 terabytes of dsd. I've been having so much fun getting reaqauainted with all those CD's that now sound superb.

YMMV, just my 2 cents, and all that stuff.

Regarding all of my DAC reviews and options I will restate over and over, as Wisonon very eloquently just did, that my opinions are just that. I chose what I like most in my room and my system. Pretty much every DAC I have heard can be the front end of a killer system with the right marching gear, right room and right ears.

Case in point is the differing of opinion on the gear I bring in with my friends who come to listen. I had someone else come over yesterday who much preferred the warmer sound of the MSB. This stuff is all SO DAMN GOOD that none of them are losers. It's all opinion, in this case my opinion.

I just try to report the differences so that others can use them to pick the voicing and qualities that they think would best match their system and their tastes. Consider it a community service blog. Lol.

I will say I have had universally positive responses with no negative comments regarding my Burnester gear (other then that my room is hot) and my Consequence Ultimates.

I'm sitting right now to listen for an hour or so to the MSB. Let's see how it sounds after running it nonstop for 3 days.

Thanks Mike. I have heard amazing things about the Trinity. I look forward to getting my hands on one.

I was surprised at Vince's choice of speaker at RMAF for such a sophisticated system, to be honest. But having the essentially same DAC in my home for about a week now I find its overal tone and texture to have been well represented on the Quads. I have been told that the faster clocks increase resolution and reduce noise and jitter resulting in an ever more analog sound overall. The "warmth" of the MSB is described as our brains interpretation of a lack of noise and jitter giving a sense of analog resolution more akin to LP. I see and hear that, I do.

At this level it's such personal preference and the way it melds into the system....

With an inherent level of "warmth" in my Burmesters I find the Emm to mate a tad better then the "analog resolution" that the MSB is providing. Maybe a faster clock would change that, maybe not. But I also think I haven't listened close to enough yet to really settle in to an opinion.

Your experience and input are greatly appreciated Mike. Thanks.