Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Matt, dunno where you heard that from, but the Amanero USB is superb.IMHO Chipless DSD is ONLY via USB. Go read the raves over at Audioshark, and one guy there (Joe) didnt even try DSD on his Bal B7 until last weekend. AGear here had the B7 before the GG and feels the GG is a significant step up...and he is not one for gushing praise...not by a long shot! So when you see what he says about the GG, its not to be taken lightly.

I mustly use USB on my B7. I have an offRamp4, an OR5 on long term loaner from a pal, a Lindemann DDR and the ifi iLink and never use them.

BTW, please PM me at WBF, audioshark, computeraudiophile or Audiocircle, as PM are a PITA here.

Re: speakers, I meant the bigger Boenicke, so you are right.

The Kithara goes down to 28hz, so kinda full range. The resolution is superb. A pal was selling one a few years back to replace with the Coltrane and was second guessing himself all the way.

However, I dont know the Scaena and the Perfect 8s, so you may be correct there. I ~MAY~ get to hear the Tidal L'Assoluta soon and I expect that they will make my personal top speaker list. So far the Goldmund Annatta is the one to beat, impressing me more than the Apologue. The Franco Serblin Ktemas are another take no prisoners speaker, and cost about the same as Der Musik. Lemme just repeat again, dont let price twist you...the Kitharas are a HELL of a speaker and a stonking bargain to boot.

These Tidal speakers:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?14152-La-Assoluta&p=328472&viewfull=1#post328472

All Tidal speakers are rear ported and won't integrate well into my room. Same for the larger Boenicke. The upcoming W13 looks great, but it's got a huge rear port. I've tried about a dozen rear port speakers and they just don't work in my room. Boom boom boom. Nodes activated everywhere. I think it has to do with my rooms stiff walls, completely sealed nature and the almost square shape of the room (15x18.5x9) with an almost doubling of the height to length. It just doesn't work with rear ports. Which eliminates a LOT of very fine speakers. Not that they are in any way bad, just not for my room.

And the USB issue was experienced first hand while I had my Big 6 Lampy here. The USB input was just terrible compared to the spdif. And everyone told me to try the off ramp to improve it. But I wasn't going that route. That's why I asked.

07-13-15: Mattnshilp
Agear - What is the Golden Gate's best input? Does it use the CMOS chip for USB?

I think many agree that one of the big Lampy drawbacks was its less then stellar usb input performance. Has that been corrected with the GG or is an Empirical Audio OffRamp still needed to get the most out of that inout?

Hi Matt. I have not paid attention to what changes Lucas has made regarding the USB. I also do not know what Amanero chip is in the GG. I know it has its own PS, is galvanically isolated, etc, etc. I do know that the Totaldac USB cable made a profound difference and that the Auralic Aries was a substantial step up from a unmodded Mini and Macbook Air. I am sure that any dac would benefit from an Offramp or a SOTA transport. I do also know that I can do better than the Aries and may do so at a later date. That being said, I am getting very good sound. I have not done a comparison with the SPDIF yet but probably should. I am using USB in the name of DSD. I had Lucas add an external grounding post for use with grounding boxes (Tripoint Troy) in the future. I currently have it grounded to a binding post on the back wall that is linked to my ionic grounding unit that is dedicated for my room. Maybe that's the secret sauce and confounding variable. Who knows....

All, the name of the VA music speaker in German is "Die Muzik", rather than "Der Muzik".... Muzik in German, French, Italian, and Spanish is a feminine noun, not masculine. Hence... "Die Muzik". G.