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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
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

Guidocorona if I could chime in while your waiting for Coli's answer.

I find with Redbook cd, all the Direct Stream ones I've listened too are too relaxed/smooth and uninvolving, much the same as 1 bit, bitstream, delta sigma and ESS type dacs.

You notice this once you've heard a very well implemented R2R Ladder Multibit dac's, they have excitement, drive and boogie factor that doesn't seem to be there with the above.

Too bad the manufacturers are trying to phase out R2R Multibit dac's, they are way harder and more expensive for them to make, and they then charge up to 10 x the price for them.

Cheers George
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Thank you George, how about citing the top "very well implemented R2R Ladder Multibit dac's" that you are most fond of?

Regards, G.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
07-21-15: Georgelofi
Too bad the manufacturers are trying to phase out R2R Multibit dac's, they are way harder and more expensive for them to make, and they then charge up to 10 x the price for them.
And much more so for hi rez, as accurate reproduction of 24 bit data requires 256 times greater accuracy in the resistor ladder than the already extremely tight accuracy that is required for 16 bit data.

As I mentioned earlier, MSB's accomplishment in applying ladder architecture to hi rez (as well as Totaldac's, as pointed out by Agear) simply amazes me.

As I also mentioned, though, MSB's use of a sign-magnitude data format will tend to make measurements of low level resolution look as good as possible, relative to competing approaches, when the test signal is extremely low in level (as it was in their published test results). As always, the proof is in the listening.

Regards,
-- Al
agear
1,362 posts
 
07-20-15: Wisnon
Again, I heard the ISIS in Zurich in a medium sized room. When Andreas saw me in the Warsaw show, he asked me what I thought and didnt seem surprised at my report.

There may be tweaks that could work, bit this was a pretty stylish room with Rowland electronics and other nice gear.

So the sense of style did not overcome the bass...:) In other words a non-dedicated room without stands. There are tweaks that work....that's part of my point.
wisnon
700 posts
 
The bass was banging hard…Cant recall if they had stands… probably did and they had other speakers on rotation that did not have the bass issue.

Other than that, the ISIS sounded great.
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