Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Matt, call me tomorrow if you are able to. I'm heading to Japan on Wed until the 31st. Glad it went well and that you had fun. That's what it's supposed to be like. Richfield can speak about the differences between the two Vandersteens. I listened to over 50 different speakers over the course of a year or more and once I heard the Vandersteens, I really started to focus on what I wanted. That was when I was able to say no to 99% of the stuff I heard. Glad that you have choices.

08-15-15: Mattnshilp

I found the Vandy 7 a tad veiled on the upper registers. It was subtle and didn't really effect my overall impression. They just didn't extend with the accuracy and finesse that the Coltrane Tenor did. Interestingly, it was the same on the low end. The Tenors maintained a better sense of control, impact, extension and finesse in the lower registers than the Vandy. I think the forward firing long excursion twin 8's with down firing port helped to keep the room further from the equation then the down firing, side vented Vandy's. I felt the rumble and heard all the notes, they were right and proper and had both accurate rise and decay but I didn't get that punch in the chest when expected like I did with the Tenors. I also felt that on rare occasions the base became disconnected from the rest of the music, like I could hear that it was being amplified by a different amplifier; the tone subtly shifted and it became identifiable that there was a subwoofer and monitor, and not just a speaker. Other then that, they did everything right.

Every speaker with power woofers I have heard has that same subtle discontinuity. Time to bend over Matt and accept reality. The Tenors appear to be your speakers......

Lmao Agear. You may be right. But I won't go gently into that good night!

As I proved when I started this thread, I have a pathologic need to hear as much as I can before feeling comfortable with a decision. Although DAC's can get expensive, they are easy to ship. Speakers, not so much......

I'd really like to hear a pair of Avalon Isis, BMC Arcadias, T&F Isis and re-hear the classicly redesigned Dynaudio Consequence Ultimate with solid state gear before making that final decision. And Wisnon will probably send me an envelope of Anthrax if I don't try to hear the Goldmunds (just a joke if the government is reading this, or if you just have a complete lack of any sense of humor).

If I could sell my MM3's and Muzik's I'd have the money to bring in the Arcadia and maybe the T&F Isis. But speakers are much harder to resell then DAC's and way harder to ship. So I can't use my same model that I applied to my DAC search of: Buy/Try/Sell.

I asked the T&F inporter again if I can do an in home audition if I'm willing to pay for freight. No answer yet. BMC said no way since they are almost 200 pounds each plus external crossovers. I understand that. As I said, I have a great deal for the Arcadia's on the table.

I have to admit that I went to a generous owner of Salk SS8's in PA to hear them and they were very impressive. I have an opportunity to get into a fully upgraded pair of SS10's for a very good price. They are not up to the other speakers I am looking at, but if I decide I don't like the Dynaudio's when I go hear them, I might just buy the SS10's and keep looking; and wait until the Muzik and MM3 are sold and then sell the SS10's and go for my final speaker. It would buy me time to sell what I have and time to hear what I want to hear before spending the big dollars. Remember that with my Muziks now packed up for sale and the MM3's safely in crates in my garage I literally have no speakers for my room. I have many fine qualities, but patience is not one of them. I need my room up and running.

Gaia forbid... Matt, I sure do not wish you to "Go gentle into that good night" of integrated powered subs, not even after listening to the immortal song by Igor Stravinsky *grins!*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yioysm8a6Js

G.

08-15-15: Mattnshilp

And Wisnon will probably send me an envelope of Anthrax if I don't try to hear the Goldmunds (just a joke if the government is reading this, or if you just have a complete lack of any sense of humor).

Well, now they will be due to NSA algorithms. Thanks Matt....