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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
agear
1,362 posts
 
To be honest, that sounds like my cup of tea. I have a lot of bank friends in Charlotte who like big dollar Cabs from Cali that kick you in the balls. I prefer a more earthy, subtle Bordeaux. Bob says Trenner is something to buy when you are done with hifi. That being said, they will obviously need a few days to sing. I don't necessarily think you would need to alter your electronics. I do like the retro aesthetics (as does my wife).

The real problem with speakers (as one wise and older phile once told me) is you have to live with them for a year or more to really properly evaluate them. The real test is whether you sit and listen or fidget and fiddle. What a hobby.....
agear
1,362 posts
 
09-20-15: Mattnshilp
....but the speaker has a sound that clearly grabs people from the hallway and says " come in and sit. Relax and take a break from the insanity of high fi and let me play you some music."

I can say that the more I listen to them, the more I want to listen to more music. But they make me feel just a little bit stoned....

After almost 50 pages of frenetic, Brownian motion, I think something like this speaker may be precisely what the doctor ordered for ze doctor....
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Abe - how do I assign music folders on my Mac to play on the DX??

I have folders with music files and my iTunes folder that I want to assign to the DX so I can play them and I just can't figure out how to do that.
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Agear - there is a rolled off top end that makes me feel like I'm missing something. Like I said, it's like I have earplugs in and just can't hear those top registers.

Your statement is interesting about more seasoned, more mature listeners gravitating toward the Isis. With the older person's hearing attenuated in the upper frequencies it makes sense that those listeners would be most drawn to a speaker that is very musical and lacks extension since they won't hear the deficit. It deserves 2-3 days of burn in and way more placement manipulation. But I can easily see it being an end of search speaker for the more seasoned listener.
agear
1,362 posts
 
It's not so much about age related maturity but burnout with the hobby. I have older friends or friends with hearing loss who tend to favor speakers that sizzle. That aside, the Isis does extend out to 40kHz so not much is "theoretically" missing. It would be interesting to try some Starsound Audio products underneath your speakers. I have farted around with their products, and one of their Apprentice stands made a muddy sounding vintage pair of Pioneer speakers sound like a 10K audiophile speaker (according to a speaker designer who visited my room recently).
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