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
Matt, I have read every post of this exciting thread.
Since you have the Overdrive, I highly recommend you speak to Steve Nugent about his 1.5m SPDIF cable with BNC terminations. He has done measurements that demonstrate this length, with BNCs, offers the lowest jitter. His cable is very competitively priced. I recently attended a Nordost cable demonstration for the Los Angeles Audio Society and had these facts independently confirmed by a vice president of national sales. The only other option I would trust is Oyaide BNC to BNC true 75 ohm cable, hard to find, and without Steve's support. Furthermore, in Steve's Audiocircle, you will find jitter measurements of his cable.
I hope you find this helpful.

I use a low fi Sonos connect into an Empirical Audio Pace Car with turboclocks and the Dynamo power supply into a modified (silver fuse, BNC input, Lundahl transformer) Metrum Octave. I wonder what it would take to improve on this setup significantly...Overdrive is really geared to the USB input (SPDIF is not reclocked, I believe). I read with interest in your input regarding the Rowland Aeris DAC. It is similar to Steve's Overdrive in so far as they both use an Analog Devices chip which provides volume control by varying the voltage. They both strive for an analog, non-over sampling DAC-like sound. Matt, could you be so kind as to elaborate on the differences between your old Aeris and your new Overdrive SE?
I want to thank you for creating and more importantly following up on this extremely instructive thread!!, Tom
Hi Matt, ironically, Steve has done that post before the moderator could even put my up on the board!!
I neglected to mention I am using Steve's cable in my setup.
Just for kicks I checked what a Nordost Odin digital cable costs....I find this hard to believe...$10,000 (cough,Gag)
Thankyou Guidocorrona for backing me on matts Esoteric K-01 player, I believe he will further benefit with your help I am sure, He also needs to talk to other owners as well, I do not want matt to get false impressions of the k-01 player, or frustrated with all the burn-in!, He has no idea that this player takes more burn-in than any player in the world!, but man, the out come is staggering!
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