Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Steve N,

I am so happy to see someone as respected and knowledgeable as yourself mention Wells Audio here. I purchased the Inamorata Signature this time last year and can not be happier with it! I am actually surprised Wells Audio does not get mentioned more often. 

Also, very interesting to see you have a Plasmatron. I have been interested off and on over the last three years...but there continues to be very little spoken about them since I was first made aware of it during its beta testing. I wish owners would come out and speak more about them --like what changes they hear to their systems. 

and great adventure thread, Matt!

Thanks!

I've heard the Wells Audio Inamorata in 3 different systems. A fabulous amp which sounds as liquid and natural as solid state can, but with all of the detail and transparency that can escape tubes. This from a dyed in the wool tube man. If I were to purchase a ss amp, if I could not pull off a D'Agostino, I would get a Wells.

I've yet to hear a D'agostino in a store that I liked.  Personally, any of the amps we have all spoken about have sounded much better to me (I've heard many, but not all the amps in this thread).  They are pretty to look at, but at that price point, I think the Ayre, Boulder, Rowland, AR, Aestheix and others crush it for refinement etc...  Just my personal opinion.  

Matt, not sure if it does have VC or not.  Just getting feedback from everyone I know who's been hearing it that it's a killer at under 13k.  That's a great price point right now as there are more and more choices. The more I listen to systems, the more I am appreciating my own OSDE/SE.  There are a few other DAC's that I like too, but most still don't deal properly with the power supply issues that are so important in digital and I also don't think many manufacturer's fully get digital filtering the way Steve and a few other engineers do.  I know I'll get skewered but I heard the DCS stack again on something other than Wilson XLF (not a fan at all) and I was left asking the question "who would purchase that over some of the other choices in the 15k range".  Again, JMHO and I know many don't hear what I do.

I just found out that Aesthetix is now using the Stealth Cap by Mundorf I believe is he company.  

TRT not Mundorf. Sorry.