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
Agear - I gave up on my meds a long time ago. Alas, they only work until noon and then wore off completely leaving me in a rebound state far worse then what I started off with.....

I now swallow a Synergistic Research HFT twice a week. I find it helps my kidneys and liver to resonate properly while listening to classical and jazz. The newer HFT 2.0 X series, I find, if taken between 4:37 and 4:39AM on the second Tuesday of the month can truly tune my spine to properly reproduce Austrian Polka in a way I have never heard before. The habit is getting expensive and re-collection of the transducers is not at all pleasant, but there is no limit to the lengths that a true audiophile should be willing to go!!!

Grins!!!

-Matt
EA Overdrive SE

Long thread, so I can't recall DSP filtering and D/A conversion details on Matt's current DAC. Which chips are used for each PCM and DSD?

Appreciated, Josh

Well Wisnon, I just got an order for my product from this customer, who has the "very best" of everything.

And when I asked him what his system was, this is what he listed.

"Pacific Microsonics model 2 (DAC) with a pair of Soulution 701 monoblocks that are driving Magico Q7mkII speakers."

Then I asked him if he would ever consider selling me the PM model 2. "He will never get rid of it and will be buried with it as nothing has ever come close to it", and he has very very deep pockets.

I then asked as a joke for him to leave it in his will, and he said "there is a very long queue for that, for me to stand in line.

George
07-26-15: Georgelofi

Well Wisnon, I just got an order for my product from this customer, who has the "very best" of everything.

And when I asked him what his system was, this is what he listed.

"Pacific Microsonics model 2 (DAC) with a pair of Soulution 701 monoblocks that are driving Magico Q7mkII speakers."

Then I asked him if he would ever consider selling me the PM model 2. "He will never get rid of it and will be buried with it as nothing has ever come close to it", and he has very very deep pockets.

I then asked as a joke for him to leave it in his will, and he said "there is a very long queue for that, for me to stand in line.

LOL. That speaks volumes....
07-26-15: Mattnshilp
Agear - I gave up on my meds a long time ago. Alas, they only work until noon and then wore off completely leaving me in a rebound state far worse then what I started off with.....

Ha! I bet most of your fiddling occurs at night when the wife and kids are asleep. The lab is only open at night....:)