Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Matt,

What you really needed to do was change out the rectifier. This will relax the sound and get rid of the artificiality you are hearing with the NU VT-99's, put in those Tung-Sols. 40% improvement by just swapping out the tubes? In my book that is HUGE in the audio world. Some folks spend $$$$ just to get 5-10% improvement and they're more than happy.

Doesn't matter I guess at this point. Even though you chose the Aeris, at least you got a flavor of what the Lamp could offer. On to the next battle!

Have fun man...

Hi Matt, You may call me Keith, The comparisons of the Dacs with a volume control you have available that you said you would try them direct to amps now gives me special interest more than before with your shoot-out thread , As a few have said, Thankyou for the time and effort you are doing Here, I must say, I am interested in the Aeris for ALL the same reasons you are, I currently have a modest priced tube digital player, sounds great, on the other hand, when I read the things you pointed out about the problems of tubes in general, like ageing to make the sound performance degrade caught my eye, Back in the late 90s, I run all solid state with success, sounded better than any tube componet at the time I ever listened to any where, tube componets have come a long way in this age, that's likly why I have tried tube componets again, But this tube rolling thing of going thru so many tubes has me not wanting to go down that Rabbit hole!, To me, That is like running multiple brands of cables to use them as tuning devices, you could end up chaseing the tail for-ever, which becomes a huge exspense, tube rolling could end the same way, and of course their is always infant tube failures etc..., I do want to point out, I love tube sound, just not the problems, This Aeris has me interested to see how it fairs in the end of the shoot-out, Thanks Matt, cheers.

Audioengr, I have used it with your former colleague's Legacy Music Server and with several top rated dacs, whose names I will not give as have three other respected dealers and manufacturers. We all have concluded that the PureDac is exceptional. I now have Williams double DSD dac which I will get working this week. It will probably exceed the PureDac, but that is what it will take. This PCM stuff has passed its prime.

Wisnon wrote "DallasJustice had the Empirical Dac with all the trimmings and abandoned it for a TotalDac with Legato 16/44 transport and I think moved on to TotalDac Server and USB converter."

That is true, but realize that this was the original Overdrive and not the Overdrive SE. Big difference.

BTW, the TotalDAC USB cable is evidently the one to beat.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"What you really needed to do was change out the rectifier."

This is good advise, but I'll give you even better advise:

Power all of your digital gear from a Plasmatron 3 from VHAudio.com:

http://www.vhaudio.com/plasmatron.html

All of the show exhibitors that have used one on loan buy one. I did and I love it.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio