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
And while I'm standing on my soap box, did anyone besides Mike read my comic interlude on 10/15 entitled "The Ultimate Tweak"? Maybe I'm biased, but I thought it was some funny stuff....

I try to lighten things up every once in a while since we take ourselves so seriously.....
That's the spirit Geoffkit! Lol....

My neighbor went all out and ordered a full set of top tier WireWorld Platinum Eclipse 7 interconnects, digital and speaker wire (literally tens of thousands in cable); and I get to play with all of it before we set it up at his place. They are coming around the same time as his Berk Ref. Fortunately, he also ordered the Berk USB converter so I will be able to try it with both the Mac mini and his Aurender N10.

And I still owe you all a review on that Waversa Smart Hub I was sent.

SO many toys, SO little time!!!
10-25-15: Dgarretson
Georgelofi, do you recall if the Theta Gen Va is an R2R? I can't find a spec, but there are some on the forums who believe so. I have one in storage that I haven't listened to in years. If it's an R2R then I'll dust it off for comparison to K-01X.
Dave, I found multiple indications on the web that the Gen Va used the Burr-Brown PCM63, which was a 20-bit predecessor of the 24-bit PCM1704 discussed above. As can be seen in the PCM63 datasheet it was indeed an R-2R, and the theory of operation section on page 5 reads very similarly to the corresponding section on page 6 of the PCM1704 datasheet. The focus on performance around the zero crossing in both descriptions is reminiscent of the philosophy of the very expensive MSB DACs.

Matt, thanks for the light-hearted interlude, which I read and enjoyed.

Best regards,
-- Al
On a side not, and a side note that I don't believe has been discussed, I'm very curious of everyone's opinions of line conditioning, surge suppression, power regeneration, balanced power, filtering, magnets and magic pixie dust??? I know I dragged everyone into the depths of my electrical design when I was wiring my room, but we never hit on this subject.

Let's keep it organized and break it up into overall room conditioning at the circuit box, high current conditioning for amps and low current conditioning for rack gear.

My room utilizes a dedicated panel and the only thing I have (actually, am about to install) on my panel for the whole room is the Environmental Potentials EP-2050 Surge and Waveform corrector ion module. I know Mike went all out for the Equi-Tech Balanced power breaker panel. Wish it had been in the budget at the time; maybe some day.

I am currently running my amps direct to the wall using Shinyata Zitron Alpha High Current Power cords but am considering adding an IsoTek Evo3 Titan high current conditioner with Evo3 Syncro power cable (they are very cool. The cable has a small balanced conditioner built right into the cable. DC filtering, no emi/rfi). Or a Shunyata Hydra Triton V2.

Rack is currently under control with a Shunyaya Hydra AV and all Shunyata Zitron Power cords. Although I will definitely be jumping on a Plasmatron for my digital when I can fit it into the budget. Seriously considered the Audience Adept Response gear and that's actually the direction my neighbor went, along with the IsoTek Titan/Syncro for amps (which I am all over borrowing and trying!).

Open forum as always. Nothing is the best, especially in the voodoo world of power conditioning.

Should be a fun side run while we slowly post about dacs.
Mattnshilp, well I certainly would not think you would want to introduce "magic pixie dust" to start a discussion. I have limited experience with anything you introduce and some of which I have never heard of. All that I have ever owned of these products is an IsoTek balanced power unit. It gave me a hum when I used my turntable. It was basically the absence of a ground at the root of this problem.

I have had about 15 different line conditioners dating back at least ten years, ranging from isolation transformers, filtering systems, magnetic filtering systems, and regeneration units. I had some of the Shunyaya equipment in my system but none that I ever bothered to buy.

As always, I find little to discuss as everyone hears differently and has different tastes. But I must say that I find no power cords that challenge
the High Fidelity power cords and that the obscenely expensive "Pro" or clearly the best. With these power cords, I hear more detail as they are so quiet. They allow a holographic presentation.

Finally, I think any dac that cannot play quad DSD will long endure.