Digital is just like analog in that respect. The more separates you use, the better the result and of course the higher the price.
If you are after the holy grail, the first hurdle is to achieve a really low jitter digital source. One way to get there that is fairly simple is the Antipodesaudio.com server driving an Off-Ramp 5 with Turboclock and Dynamo power supply.
http://www.antipodesaudio.com/antipodes_music_servers.html
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/off-ramp-converter
Once you have this, then pick the DAC that you like the best. Picking DACs is a lot like picking amplifiers. Some people like dynamics and detail and others like smoothness and liquid midrange. It must mate with your system well.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio
If you are after the holy grail, the first hurdle is to achieve a really low jitter digital source. One way to get there that is fairly simple is the Antipodesaudio.com server driving an Off-Ramp 5 with Turboclock and Dynamo power supply.
http://www.antipodesaudio.com/antipodes_music_servers.html
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/off-ramp-converter
Once you have this, then pick the DAC that you like the best. Picking DACs is a lot like picking amplifiers. Some people like dynamics and detail and others like smoothness and liquid midrange. It must mate with your system well.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio