Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Hi all. First off, I have the Bricasti M1 in the house and have been listening for a few days. I am holding opinions for a bit so I can provide a solid report.

I want to thank all for getting into my speaker search. I'm sorry I sidetracked the thread but its been a fun sidetrack and you guys have given me great suggestions! I promise this thread will end up back on the DAC track when the speaker decision has been finalized.

Here is a list of my current possibilities, almost all of which I have not heard. Obviously the Marten Coltrane Tenor is currently my front runner. But since it is a whopping $80K retail I am hoping to find a slightly (or significantly) less expensive option to consider; although if the Tenor ends up being the one that just does it for me then the Tenor it will be. I will not list the speakers I have already removed from my list…

Marten Coltrane Tenor (or even the Coltrane 3 if the opportunity arises)
Avalon Time or Isis
Joseph Audio Pearl 3 (I just put this on the list at your suggestion but I need to confirm it is not rear ported)
Perfect8 - The Point (I know I love these but they are a super whopping $100K)
Soulsonic - Holograph (Intriguing but very eclectic and VERY expensive)
Alkemia Vero - Italian omnidirectional (also intriguing but very expensive and eclectic)
Vandy 7 - Admittedly has not done it for me when I have heard them before. But at your insistence I am giving them their full chance to catch my heart.
Avantgarde - Duo Grosso (I know, a horn in a small room. But I have spoken to many people who think they would fit perfectly in my room and I have always enjoyed the way they sound; albeit a bit romantic. I'm also not in love with the fact that they are powered subs and that I would probably benefit from a tubed amp instead of my uber solid state amp that I love so much). But its on the list
Trenner & Friedl - Isis (A solid choice but hard to find. I'm doing my best to get my ears on a pair)
BMC - Arcadia (Also a solid choice but not easy to get my ears on a pair. I'm trying though)
Nola - Baby Grand Reference Gold (I need to confirm, but i recently realized that these are not rear ported and are certainly worth consideration if they work for my room)
Ascendo - Heard them recently and they are very good. low on my list but thinking about them….
Salk - Soundscape 10 (a solidly designed speaker for a reasonable price. I need to hear them to see how good they are. I am having a hard time believing that the Salk or the Vapor Joule would really compete with some of the much more expensive speakers I am considering)
Vapor Audio - Joule black or white (I'm thinking white) - A few threads really threw a monkey wrench into their public opinion but I'm not sure what to believe. They use similar drivers and design to the Salk and my same concern exists. I'm trying to hear a pair.
YG - I have heard them several times and although they have many strengths, I don't think they are for me.

I think thats it right now, although I may have forgotten one. I know Wisnon keeps suggesting the Heil speaker and I will try to hear a pair. But I don't think it will compare with some of the better speakers I am considering, especially in the low frequency extension which is really important to me.

Avantgarde - Duo Grosso (I know, a horn in a small room. But I have spoken to many people who think they would fit perfectly in my room and I have always enjoyed the way they sound; albeit a bit romantic. I'm also not in love with the fact that they are powered subs and that I would probably benefit from a tubed amp instead of my uber solid state amp that I love so much).

Matt, an additional point to keep in mind, certainly with respect to the Avantgarde speakers and perhaps with some of the others that may have particularly high efficiency, is that the high power capability and high sensitivity provided by your Burmester amps would probably result in your using the volume control on the preamp very close to the bottom of its range. Which depending on the design of the preamp may have a number of adverse consequences.

Best regards,
-- Al

Mattnshilp, where do you live. I have a pair of the BMC Arcadia speakers and would be happy to demonstrate them after Sept, 15th. I live in College Station, TX.

08-02-15: Mattnshilp
I want to thank all for getting into my speaker search. I'm sorry I sidetracked the thread but its been a fun sidetrack and you guys have given me great suggestions! I promise this thread will end up back on the DAC track when the speaker decision has been finalized.

Matt, the bunny trails into speakers and room are welcome and honesty far more interesting than the petty and one dimensional tribalism that dac discussions generate. They are also far more important final arbiters of sound....:)

Agear - yes I did. I drove the 1.2miles from my house to Brett's and listened to the Behold and to the Ascendo. The Behold was not for me. Very accurate and hiFi sounding to my ears. And it requires a whole Behold system. The Ascendo was actually very good. It didn't have the low end punch I am looking for though. I'm not sure if their higher end speakers would offer that. But he didn't have any others in display.

I definitely am drawn to a truly full range speaker with deep extension, accurate reproduction leaning towards the forceful side; with a sense of impact and scale that some speakers sacrifice to reproduce the lower frequencies with more accuracy and a sense of finesse. I almost see it as live vs studio... Live is scale, impact and dynamic while the studio recording is more accurate with finesse and the gentle skilled hand of a studio engineer to properly reproduce every nuance.

I also definitely like my speakers with a sense of midrange texture that some may consider colored. Not overly warm or truly colored, but the harmonics that the low midrange creates that are emotion and soul. The speakers that reproduce the source with accuracy and finesse are, to me, frequently lacking texture, complexity and that sense of engaging emotional involvement that is the reason I love this hobby.

Don't get me wrong. I expect my SYSTEM to be accurate and offer finesse and subtly in its reproduction, but I expect to accentuate those characteristics with my DAC/electronics and cables.

To me, thus far in my system, the Coltane Tenor has come the closest to doing that perfectly.