Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Thanks to all for your advice on drives etc....Steve has gone above and beyond helping me out. I finally got the server up and working today with the DAC. I don't have the short block yet as Steve has to make it. I still have to burn everything in, but I will say after a few hours of listening for fun, I'm really excited. I can already see that it has the bones to become e SPECIAL system. I have Vandy Treos' (about to trade in for the CT version I believe) and an Ayre AX7. The server is the 2009 mac mini with the Hynes power supply and all of Steve's cables..

I relearned today that when something isn't working, and it should be, just keep moving stuff around and see if it changes.

I couldn't figure out why this Antipodes DX music server that everyone is raving about was not sonically beating my Mojo Mac mini. The DX sounded good, but not great, although it was a touch smoother, but it was certainly not as dynamic as the mini, or as extended, or with as much resolution...bummer.

I received some Furutech fuses yesterday and proceeded to put two 2A Furutech fuses in the DX (yes, it takes two), then I remembered that when I first set up the DX, I did not have enough power cords so I had used an old 14awg SJT Belden cord with molded ends. Therefore, I took the time to build up a power cord from bulk Neotech NEP-3002, an 11awg cord made with UP-OCC copper wire. I used Furutech FI-25(G) connectors.

Well, to cut to the chase, the DX now sounds waaay better and yes, it rocks. I am sitting here listening to "Blues for the Lost Days," "Kids Got the Blues," and others from John Mayall's 70th birthday bash at head banging volumes, and I doubt whether I have ever heard this stuff sound better in my system. For something a little more acoustic, Warren Haynes' Benefit Concert #4 with Sons of Ralph, and many others, is also sounding very nice.

The DX is tonally rich and has an analog-like coherency. It sounds controlled at all volumes. With the new fuses and cord, it now seems plenty extended and well-balanced. For some reason the mini previously sounded more dynamic and had more bass drive. Things are now closer, but the mini is still louder at the same volume setting for some reason. Bass from the mini is very hard hitting while from the DX it is a bit fuller but perhaps not as well defined, hopefully this will improve. The DX reminds me of my former MUSE digital player in that it is well balanced across all frequencies but seems more focused on the midrange, which is dense and vibrant. The very high end and low end seem to be supportive of what's going on in the middle octaves. This is not a bad thing and in my experience is a good characteristic for long-term satisfaction.

The Mojo mini server still sounds great, and I have more comparing to do but, for the first time since the DX arrived, I suspect I have a new server. More to come.

Thanks for sharing. I think my problem with any company is that they need to ship their products with the best fuses, or power cords etc...that they can find. I don't like having to tweek things anymore. I was never a big tweeker to begin with. If they want to, they can just ship without a power cord and let you buy one on your own. I'm probably the only on in this thread who feels this way, but I really do.

That said, it's nice to see that the Antipodes DX sounds as good as it does. I assumed it would since it costs much much more. Hopefully servers will become more competitive going forward. I'm still not convinced that we won't just have hi rez streaming for nearly all our music within the next 5 years.

Steve -

Thanks so much for sending me the Off-Ramp 6 for auditioning. I did not believe the OR5 could be bested in any way, however I was wrong! This new generation or Off Ramp does a fantastic job with all sample rates of PCM as well as for the first time DSD. I am running out of the unit I2S via HDMI and the soundstage is so big and 3D its truly the "Best" representation of digital I have ever experienced in my system or anywhere else. It truly reminds me of my old Analog rig in every sense.

Congratulations on a job well done!! Bravo to Empirical Audio for another great sounding product!

Best Regards,

Trueaudiofile
.

For those reading this thread, the OR6 that Truaudiofile has is a prototype. He is using it with a Dynamo supply and a Power Block USB supply.

Evidently the Hi-Res problems that I had with it are not being experienced by him. He is using a TotalDAC USB cable and I think that is the difference. None of my usual USB cables seem to work well at 176 and 192.

I think I need to improve the USB receiver robustness before OR6 is ready for prime-time. I cannot expect every customer to use a TotalDAC cable....

Steve N.
Empirical Audio