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
Interesting thread turn, but worth it for sure. Yes we all need to do our part. The sad thing is that greed from big oil as well as the car manufacturers not named Tesla are giving us what they tell us we want. They just block the infrastructure to build out charging superstations for all electric cars. There could be a standard and it would benefit all. They are close to having the ability to have a 90% charge in only ten minutes or less. They can do a 3 minute full batter pack change if there were standards. I'm a retired Navy Commander. I drove ships around the world in the 80/90's and knew many of the weather guesser's as well as many NASA guys. They all complained back then about these problems. My buddy Al predicted this problem in the 21st century and he was correct. Yes, if everyone started to do their part and each person got ONE other to do the same, it would start to make a difference within a few years. Too bad the word 'GREEN' is misused and hidden behind by so many.
Having been trained and employed as a scientist, my perception of science is that it is almost more about process than achieving some permanent end-state of knowledge. Disagreement and debate and a search for alternative explanations for available data are key to that process. When socio-political agendas stifle the debate and marginalize dissenters, the process becomes perverted and is fodder for the propanda machine. Let’s not forget the Nazis used "science" to justify and drive their social agenda. This is what I refer to as Kool-aid.

With respect to climate change (conveniently enough, no longer referred to as “global warming”):
- It isn’t new. (Is there a possibility what we are experiencing is within normal variation over a much longer time-frame?).
- It does not take “geologic” ages to be manifest.
- CO2 levels have varied cyclically over hundreds of thousands of years though reported industrial era levels are much higher than long term historical highs.

For those who believe our 100-120 year history of industrialization with attendant rise in CO2 levels is the cause of current climate change, this is definitely the 97% majority position. Visit the NASA site - they’ll tell you. I guess funding sources have never influenced agency views. Regardless, last I knew, science isn’t based on a popularity contest or poll numbers. There are a tiny minority of professional organizations and individual scientists who remain skeptical or at least take a more moderate position on the current “climate change gospel”. Suspect their agendas and motives just as much as those of the majority view-holders. Information at the links below might be of interest.

http://www.eh-resources.org/timeline/timeline_lia.html

http://news.agu.org/press-release/monster-hurricanes-reached-u-s-northeast-during-prehistoric-periods-of-ocean-warming/

http://greenecon.net/should-we-be-concerned-over-elevated-co2-levels/energy_economics.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scientists_opposing_the_mainstream_scientific_assessment_of_global_warming
You can get an idea of the impact of just jet aircraft on the atmosphere by studying 9-11. All air traffic was grounded for a few days in the US. In just this few days, the atmosphere changed dramatically and it was measurable.

Unfortunately, the majority of the excess CO2 in the upper atmosphere will take 100 years to dissipate. This evidently changes slowly.

The difference on the earth now compared to two decades ago is that third-world countries are becoming developing countries. This means a lot more power generation, automobiles and more forest being cut down to grow crops and build houses. All contributing to CO2 emissions.

Another thing is that due to the more common droughts, there are a lot more forest fires now than even 10 years ago. I live in a national forest, so I have seen this first-hand. This not only puts more CO2 in the atmosphere, it takes out CO absorbing trees. Many phenomena like this one are causing global warming to accelerate beyond what it would, given only the human caused pollution.

Scientists have models that emulate and simulated the atmosphere. Both of these models show conclusively that our pollution is the major contributor to global warming. Its not just anecdotal evidence of melting ice-caps etc..

I don't use the term climate change. That would be giving in to the republican stance that it is not our doing. Similar to their stance that their policies represent what the vast majority of people in the US want. Try the vast majority of business and big money...

I think the federal government should:

1) mandate only hybrid personal vehicles be built and sold
2) outlaw fireplace use that does not create needed heat
3) shut down coal-fired power plants or convert to NG
4) make the car manufacturers put an automatic shut-off if the vehicle is in park and the outside temp is above 50 degrees F
5) make it illegal to idle your car if it is in park

Obama should be doing these things. The focus entirely on power generation is only half the puzzle.

Steve N.
Our efforts are important. But it's SO frustrating to do our part and then travel to Russia or China or India or any other one of 40 other countries and oberve the level of polluting there. One car in India or China probably puts more crap in the air then 30 US cars. And the manufacturing over there goes completely unregulated. One of toxins pumped into the air every day.

It's sad.
Audioengr. One plane did clear US Airspace late on 9-12.
Headed for Saudi with all members of the large Bin Laden
that were in USA.