Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

To ctsooner :

Sorry I really don't know who is the dealer for Metrum in US. I am canadian and my dealer is here... But I am pretty sure you can have information by contact directly Metrum (info@metrum-acoustics.nl).

About the Vinyl sound. I started my Audiophile life with vinyls records. When I discovered the RIAA curve (10 years after using vinyls), I realized that the vinyl sound is totally artificial because you need to apply an strong equilization to create a vinyl (to managed Bass impact) and apply a counter-equilization to listen correctly the record (it's the primary function for phono-preamp). 

It's always funny to ask to an Audiophile who spend a lot of money on turntable and phono-preamp : Do you want use a equalizer to correct the sound of your system. Everybody, without any exception says : Of course not ! I am an audiophile !

IMHO (and it's just my opinion, please don't jump on me) a lot of people are confused about Vinyl and Sound. Vinyl don't sound better than digital. The both are limited in terms of dynamique, frequencies, etc... If you use a good phono-preamp or a good DAC your sound should be good in the both case. I know a lot of people who have bad sound with vinyl records because their equipments are not good enough.

I think people like analog sound not vinyl sound. For me the real challenge is here : how to have a real relax, detail and warm analog sound. 

Fully aware of vinyl and it's limitations.  some of the top phono amps take all the equalization curves into play and are adjustable.  I have a top preamp as well as a top DAC or at least very good.  I do love my digital, but Vinyl for some reason is more relaxed.  I do wish I had an equalizer for RECORDINGS, especially 70 and 80's rock.  Just a goose here or a goose there would really help greatly regardless of what the source is.  

I think you made a great post and brought out vinyl problems that most don't usually discuss.  

I'm sorry to say that vinyl is still better, although I also enjoy digital as well.

I have a great digital set up at home, but my vinyl is better in many areas as I've posted.  I know others in this thread who also love their vinyl still. When you clean your records with ultra sound and then vacuum, it usually takes out all the grunge in the grooves as well as the static.  This really isn't a vinyl vs digital, it's about the top digital for redbook.  With the new DAC's/Streamers coming out I think the landscape is changing for the better.  It's a great time to be into audio

Interesting. On the paper Digital is far away better, but Vinyl still sound better. Why ?

Few years ago,I had a very interesting experience with a friend that I want share with you.

Chris (my friend) is a pure Vinyl guy. I am a pure Digital guy. And of course we had a lot of discussion about that (recurrent and long discussion).

One day I decided to go the Chris house with my Music server and my Dac. When I listened my music on Chris's System the sound was horrible. But on my system the sound was good (not fantastic but good). The same record from a Chris's Vinyl sounded incredible good. I was traumatise. So, I started to think, may be I should switch to Vinyl. In this perspective, I asked to Chris to come to my house to tested his turntable and phono-preamp on my system. He came few day after. Surprise, this time my sound was really better than his Vinyl. Why ?

Chris and I use dedicated systems for Vinyl and Digital. We don't mix Digital and Vinyl on the same system.

The conclusion was really interresting because at this momment I realized that I like Digital source and analog sound. So, now I choose my equipment based on that. For exemple : in my living room I use Verity Audio Speakers. When I move the Verity to my listening room the sound this bad (too ' digital'). So, I decided to use Audio Note AN-J speakers to have more musicality. Same with audio Cables. Chris uses Nordost Wallaha cables, but in my system they sound bad. Shunyata is far away better in my system. Etc...

I think it's difficult (may be impossible) to have the same equal good sound from Vinyls and Digitals source in the same system. Digital can be very very closed to Vinyl sound (sometines better) if the system is dedicated and design to have this sort of performance.

Marc