MSB Technology -- the "best" digital can get?

I have no problem with a company charging the price of an aircraft carrier for their products, because no one is compelled to make those purchases.

If two consenting adults shake hands on a purchase, then it is none of my business why the customer chose to do so.  The customer has free will.

Add in that I never listened to that $375,000 MSB DAC, then who am I to judge?

There are people that call any $1,000 interconnect "snake oil", without ever having listened to it in their stereo.  I am not about to do the same with that MSB DAC.

I do envy people that have such toys.  But I neither begrudge them nor judge them.  Person "A" puts it up for sale, and person "B" buys it.  That is the free market.

If I was worth $15,000,000,000 then I would audition that DAC.  And if it did for my ears what no other DAC could do, then I would buy it.  Why not?  It would not stop me from purchasing my next yacht, submarine, or Action Comics #1 issue with a top CGC rating.

I've heard the ultra MSB, dCS, and Wadax system at shows matched with ultra speakers and amps and I thought the sound was stunningly good. I'll never own that stuff, very few will, but I can appreciate the quality. Happily, its quite possible to put together a very pleasing system for a fraction of the cost, so there is good stuff for all of us. Price is absolute. Value is subjective-represents something different to all of us.

copy777 said:

Well for the guy at the beginning of this that is all fumed about any high priced audio 

Who is the guy you are referring to that is "all fumed?"

Sticking with the question: "MSB Technology -- the "best" digital can get?" regardless of price, I'll offer my perspective based on listening that I've done before I purchased an MSB Discrete and then upgrade to the MSB Premier.

I had a Bryston BDA-3 (AKM chips)- a great value for the money and after 7 years I decided in 2024 to see what was out there and if I would hear an improvement.  I auditioned the DCS Bartok, MSB Discrete, Weiss and a couple of others (all around the $10-13K range).  The MSB sounded much more natural, 3 dimensional/soundstage, smooth, detailed with a solid clear bass.  On poor recordings it help up better than the others.  The Weiss is an ESS DAC and don't like these chips - much too sharp for me.  

So, if you're in the market, take a listen to the MSB. One other brand my friend raves about is Berkeley Audio Design.  I haven't heard, but trust his judgement.

If anyone has their print or PDF copy of Stereophile, pull out March 1993, and take a look at Tom J. Norton's review of about four CDPs. all going head to head .

MSB Technology Silver CD player , $2800. Uses Philips multi-bit chipset . Came out on top, sonically,  but measured the worse.