Best Dac/Transport Under 50,000

Emm Labs / Meintner design is probably the best.

I did compare to MBL reference dac/transport (40K) to Emm Labs/Meintner and here is my humble opinion. The Meintner has a very analog sound, wide sound stage and good sense of focus. I felt it was much better then almost everything I've herd until then, and I can't imagine getting a better sound for the money. Then came the dCS ( Verdi La Scala transport, Elgar Plus DAC) which are a step up in neutrality and resolution. However, if no one has responded on my initial tread about the MBL (1611&1621), I guess you haven't heart it. It is absolutely by far superior to Meintner or Dcs in all aspects, and if I could get it for reasonable price I'd, but it seems to be out of my price range.

From out in left field comes the obligatory AudioNote suggestion. If I had $50K to spend I'd look hard at the DAC5 Special and the new CDT Two MkII transport, at a combined total of only $36,375. I know these don't have the Audiogon cachet of the Meitner or the dcs, but there's just something about AudioNote DACs that makes everyone who hears one stop talking for a while. For a bit of a budget stretch go all the way to the DAC 5.1x Signature. The package would still come in under $65K...

My experience is at the lower level of the 4.1x Balanced Signature, but everything I hear from it makes me sure that if I had the bucks I'd be very happy staying within the AudioNote family.

You may also want to check out the Zanden Signature separates as well. They have been getting a lot of coverage in the 'phile press lately, although I am not sure how easy they are to track down in order to audition.

Cheers,

You just missed the Zanden transport that was sold for 15k. I think that Signature dac is still for sale.