Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

I'm not disagreeing that there are R2R dacs that make great music. I'm just saying that there are dacs that are not R2R that also make red book sound great. I don't believe in absolute statements.

I also agree with many here who have said that the recording typically sounds best in its natively recorded format. And that hi-Rez or DSD or red book matter less then reproducing them in their native format and letting them sound their best. I've heard incredible DSD, hi Rez PMC and red book all sound musical and engaging....

Hi Rez PCM. Damn autocorrect !!

Hi Matt, according to my materials, there is no indication of use of an Analog Devices AD 1955 DAC chip in the Rowland Aeris. Some dated secondary internet sources mention an Analog Devices AD1853 instead.

Regardless, I continue to listen and enjoy with my ears... No Princess And The Single Bit Pea living here *grins!*

G.

10-23-15: Georgelofi

Ricevs right, the AD1955 is bit of a hybrid a 5bit Multibit and Delta Sigma, no R2R ladder. And far cheaper to manufacture than say a real R2R Ladder like the PCM1704K.

Sounds like an each way bet on the cheap, trying to get what Multibit can do yet still do DSD.

Cheers George

George, my view is it is not fair to judge a dac chip by itself without considering the overall quality of the dac & skill of the Designer (ie: implementation). I own a Vitus SCD-025Mk2 which is a $20kEUR dac/cdp which I can say hand on heart is the best single box cd player i've heard (including a CH D1 with the dac option & Accuphase DP-700).

As a dac, the Vitus bested my previous Vimak DS-1800Mk2 which I regard as the best Delta Sigma dac ever made. I also previously owned a highly modded Ayon CD-5s which uses a quad of BB PCM-1704k chips. I enjoyed my time with the Ayon which did some things very well & was a fun player, though the Vitus is in another league altogether.

The AD1955 is $7.00.....sounds cheap to me....I quess you don't like the word Cheap? How about inexpensive?....less offensive? I did not say the Berkeley Ref or any expensive DAC is cheap....just talking about the DAC chip.....it is cheap. cheep cheep went the bird...he he.

I agree with others that say the DAC chip is only one part of the whole.....you can take a $7 DAC chip and make a state of the art DAC with it (Berkeley) if you know what you are doing. Schiit chooses to use 4 $75 R to R DAC chips in their $2300 product....but I bet it does not sound any where near as good as the Berkeley.

A couple of years ago Martin Colloms raved about the $100,000+ Audionote DAC that uses the obsolete 18 bit AD1865 DAC chip.....no digital filter at all. Says it can compete with vinyl playing CDs! I notice that Border Patrol has just released a $10,000 DAC using the same chip with tubes on the output. I am thinking of making a DAC myself with this chip....I made one around 2000 and it sounded incredible.....I have more ammunition now...should be fun.