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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
agear
1,362 posts
 
I am sure you are all vaguely familiar with this law in computing that estimates the rate of change in performance:

"Moore's law" is the observation that, over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.

We need a similarly named law for dacs and the rate of change which seems to be even more extreme. Paradigm shifts and breakthroughs are right around the corner every three months or less. I personally feel a lot of the breakthroughs are more advertising than actuality....:)
talk2me's avatar
talk2me
325 posts
 
Clearly a lot of marketing hype and the American obession with "what is new" sells a lot of gear. I am in the camp that believes in building something right with quality from the beginning. I will take a high quality cdp/dac any day over a new this month dsd hi-rez player. It is all in the implementation.
agear
1,362 posts
 
Amen Talk2me...
bill_k
911 posts
 
And the implementation is exactly what is so impressive about the upcoming Chord DAVE DAC. There is nothing else even close to its level of technology and computing power. As I said previously we have to wait to hear it to see if it meets expectations, but its implementation is far beyond anything else available.
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
I'm really looking forward to hearing the new Ayre headphone amp/DAC for only 1500. They are one of the companies who will have a new DAC next year and if they finally allow more than just one USB input, then I will have to give it a real listen. Richfield, I told you how much I liked that Bricasti ;)....it was fed from the Aurender.
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