Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Yes it's the one designed by Mark and sold by Sam.  Even their mini server is outstanding based on what a friends who own's one says.  It's highly programable.  Matt owns the stand alone server and loves it better than any other server he's used.  

Oh, you also asked about my affiliation.  I have no affiliation with anyone.  I put my money where my mouth is and purchased one.  I change equipment when it makes sense to me and I can afford to.  Folks often accuse me of being a fan boy for companies, but that's not the case at all.  I have changed all my brands more than a few times, but I don't change every couple of years like many do.  I find what works great in my system and stay with it for some years.  I may upgrade within a product line, but that's because I love the house sound and it fits my needs.

Long answer to a short question I guess.  It's just a darn good product.  I don't own my Ayre QX5 anymore, but I feel strongly that is a must audition DAC in the 6-15k market as it's darn good.  Highly detailed and still not bright in any way.  It also have a nice streamer built in (not as good as some other streamers I've heard, but darn good) and versatile as heck.  For my personal tastes, you need to step up to a Brinkmann at around 18k I think (not totally sure) to get a much better DAC. That Brinkmann isn't spoken about on this thread. I think that's in part because they aren't huge in the US yet and because their folks are probably enjoying their music and not posting on sites like this, lol.  I'm not kidding either.  Their DAC is special   VERY special.  

Thankyou ctsooner,  jriggy,  bill_k, , snopro,  @  ctsooner,  I enjoyed reading your answers,  I wasn't saying your a fanboy of anything,  how ever, I am a fan boy of a few brand's, the way you posted your original post, it seemed you had some sort of a prototype good dac with a regarded volume control, I'm always chasing that set up,  that's how I run my main system now,  has anyone listened to this laufer teknic running direct to amplifier's? 

No, others call me a fanboy, lol.  I hate that term. Hey, we are on a fun forum and will tout what we put our money on.  I also audition a ton of gear and will tout what I like or don't like. Then it's up to the reader to figure out how they hear compared to what I like or dislike or any poster/dealer/manufacturer or reviewer.  

I now own the Laufer DAC adn Memory Player server.  It's the first one 'in the wild' and we they are making constant tweeks and upgrades.  We are currently waiting on Stealth Caps to come in and are moving the DAC out of the server.  Better isolation etc...  It has a well done digital volume control as well as an analog as I will be getting a pair of mono's or separate stereo amp eventually. I wanted that in my DAC.  I also like how they listen to me and try to make what I need.  

There are other great manufacturer's out here and that's great for all of us.  Hey, Empirical Audio makes a tremendous DAC.  I loved mine and it wasn't even Steve's top of the line.  I am not doing to sell his server that he sold to me since I now have the Memory Player, but he's a genius in regards to audio.

I've heard many other digital products that are impressive.  It's a great time to go digital and many of us can no longer play vinyl for mobility reasons (having MS, I can't' keep getting up and down to change things and to keep everything as clean as it needs to be to be in top shape).  Also digital does many things better than vinyl and when you lower jitter and take away much of the problems associated with older digital, it can sing.

@david_ten , I'd highly suggest the Chord Dave or the Metrum Adagio. Conversely, I believe you have the Denafrips Terminator which is a high end dac, perhaps you could add a well regarded passive attenuator between the dac and the amp.