Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Mitch2, Can you share a link to your amp shootout?

Bill, I think the AQUA designation is La Scala III that incorporated the Optologic from the Formula, an upgrade from II to III is available for $1000, the difference in retail, very fair. 

Thank you bill_k for the suggestion to check out the new LaScala III DAC.  

After a day of Ayre's glide tone, the Adagio (using the on-board volume adjustment) is starting to flesh out and sound pretty good.

klh007, I do not have a "link" to the shoot-out because I have not publically published much about it other than a few comments in various posts.  The shoot-out as I called it, basically consisted of a comparison of primarily four amplifiers in my system over a period of about 2 years, along with a couple of other amps I did not consider contenders because they simply could not hang with the primary four.  You can see a picture of three of the four amplifiers on my system page under the title, "you can never have enough power"

In short, the amplifiers included Ncore NC1200 monos, Lamm M1.2 monos, Clayton M300 monos and a McCormack DNA-2 LAE stereo amplifier upgraded to Signature status by SMc Audio.  The Claytons remain in my system.

For anyone who has or is interested in Empirical Dac, I did some more system experimentation. I am going to change my previous impressions. For an absolutely wonderful system and one that can best what I have invested in or experimented with, at 3-5 times the price, consider the ODSX and Final Drives with Antipodes Reference XLR cables and speaker cable loom. I have not found this level of synergy for some time.  Feed this system into your favorite amp and speakers and I believe you will be very happy. Buying and selling gear for me has always been a money loosing proposition. At least I enjoy the journey. Save yourself some cash or invest it in other aspects of your system.

Anyone in the Pacific NW is welcome to audition the gear.

Thanks Ketch.   I so appreciate your thoughts and respect what you have to share.  I'm not surprised in the least as Steve makes a great DAC.   I still need to speak with you about my ethernet system I need to set up.  I'm in the hospital for the next week or so, if you have time....just let me know.  Thanks.

has this thread finally had it's last gasps?  I hope not as it's been a great thread and helped many of us out.  I finally have my Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC fully burned in and it's sounding incredible.  I'm hearing things I haven't heard before and the bass is to dye for.  I'm surprised by the last remark as zero feedback designs will give you glorious music from 100hz up, but the deep bass doesn't always go as deep as you want it to.  That's one reason I love the Vandersteen line from Quatro up as it gives you great bass and I can get the glorious sound of the Ayre and have it all.  I also love the headphone amp on this model as I still use cans.  I'm still serving music from Steve's server I got from him and it sounds awesome. I will probably sell this also though as I want an easier solution for larger storage, ability to use an iPad to control it and also to use Roon, but if I don't find what I want, I may just figure out if I can do all of that this this server.