Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Just got back from CES and wanted to post a brief follow-up to the "digital amp" discussion recently.

Again, I didn't hear any digital amps in the class of ARC Reference tube gear, but I was impressed with the Kii Audio speakers that are active and have digital amplification.  In fact, they were hooked up to a Kronus turntable and had to go through an ADC conversion and still sounded good.

There's no doubt that many people can be perfectly happy with that sound.  However, the Kronus TT setup is so good that it's tough to say if that wasn't carrying the SQ more than anything else.

Genesis had a more than decent sounding digital amp to go with their speakers.  Not sure why they don't get more 'pub' from the digital amp fans.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, I wasn't lusting over anything and was more than happy to get back home to ARC tubes.  It's still a night and day proposition to me right now, but I'll keep looking/listening.

The one thing relevant to this thread's "best DAC" theme could be the new LH Labs Vi DAC.  I didn't hear it, but it won an award (although those awards are largely meaningless).  It did look promising. The option to choose either a SS or tube output stage seemed interesting, but that's assuming they do it right.  (Shanling did that at one time with their SACD player, but both options sounded awful.)

As for servers, I can't see how it's possible for someone to like a MacMini over the Antipodes which is clearly the best I've heard, but I guess anything is possible.  I think it just shows people have different tastes and it's best not to take advice from forums unless you know that person shares your same preferences.  Otherwise, you could be destined for disappointment.

Guys, I appreciate the show reports, but how in the world can anyone really know that something sounds better than another at a show in those conditions?  Just wondering.  That's one reason I love Matt's approach. Get things in YOUR room and your system and listen.  I get that you can like or not like something, but I've always giving things extra chances if I hear them in a story or someone else's system if I don't like them at first.  Not flaming anyone, but I have heard my Mac Mini, modded big time by Steven N vs Antipodes and Aurender in my own system.  I know steven likes the Antipodes better, but I didn't hear such a huge difference that it made me even think of switching.  I respect the heck out of Steve and love my OSDE/SE, but again, we all hear things differently.  Soon the servers will be even better and less money.  I personally am waiting on Melco and also MQA to be offered.  I"ve heard some MQA in an all Meridian system (I don't usually like Meridian, but it sounded great) and I think it may be a difference maker.  Time will tell obviously.  

I heard the Music Vault in NH as well as Encore Audio in Sarasota two weeks ago and was impressed.  I've spoken to Neal in the past and he's a great guy who will custom build anything you want.  It's still on my short list of potential servers as I love the built in ripper that I wish all servers had.  

ctsooner, did you and Matt hear the same Antipodes DX server?  I ask because neither of you were impressed, so I am curious whether there may have been an issue with the unit you heard.  Stranger things have happened.  I am not saying it is the the greatest thing to come along for digital music, but I do hear it like Steve does, and over here it was clearly fuller, richer and more musical than a very well-appointed, and good-sounding, Mojo Mac mini with all the bells and whistles.  It has the ripper you desire, so easy, you put in the disc and it rips and stores the file as lossless flac for immediate access in your library.

While on the subject of servers. Did anyone get the chance to hear the LH Labs crowd funded server called Source at CES 2016? Would just like to get an opinion how it compares against Mac Mini and other servers already out there like Aurender or Antipodes.