Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Dgarretson - I know all the necessary trinkets. NAS, miceorendu or SMS-200, linear power supplies. But that’s exactly what I’m saying. Need an LPS for NAS, Microrendu (or SMS-200), switch, etc. I have done a tone of research. But to get sound comparable to an Aurender, Antipodes, Baetis, etc you need to add REALLY good LPS, reclockers, etc and down the rabbit hole we go.

I’m not saying it’s wrong and I’m not saying it’s not possible to get great sound. What I’m saying is that I don’t think that just plugging an i5 NAS with Roon into a typical gigabit Ethernet switch and running it into a Microrendu, with all normal power supplies, is going to compete with a simple, 1 box, Aurender N10. I have a friend with an MR and he will be dropping it off shortly; so I’ll know for certain.

It's fascinating that this has become such an issue. I would guess that in the next few years it will get to a point where all DAC's will HAVE to come with a built in Ethernet Renderer and Music Servers from the big boys will be one box solutions with high quality external linear power supplies and built in reclockers that output Ethernet to the DAC's built in renderer. And possibly even have 2 bridged outputs and a way to allow them to run direct and avoid a switch entirely. And audiophile grade switches with linear power supplies will be common (I am auditioning an audiophile grade Waversa switch as we speak to see how how big a difference it makes). 

Its all so exciting!!

Matt, AQUA will be at AXPONA, or call Mark Sossa the US Distributor and see where you can get an audition. Here is Mark's website, http://wellpleasedav.com/about/  tell him Kemper sent you.

Thanks Matt.  Switching is where most of the noise seems to come from.  The designers of the Melco gear is a great guy and I've been in good contact with him over the years. I don't own his gear...at least not yet, but I like how he thinks.  That's why I'm waiting to hear what Matt thinks of the WAversa.  We have a common friend who own's it and he swears by it.  By audiophile prices, it's not expensive, but I agree with Matt....Soon we should see higher end, all in one servers that will use audio grade everything and will be plug and play.  I will put my server set up against all the big boys and have. It's won when I've brought it to shops even.  But it's not sexy to look at and it's got a huge external LPS (possibly the best made, but it's large and ugly).  

I am still using USB, but really want to be able to take advantage of my Ayre's ethernet connections.  When done properly, I've never heard USB sound as good.  Just haven't. 

The microrendu is not as good as the sms-200 imho.  I'm excited about the new sms-200 ultra, tx-usb ultra, iso regen.  I wonder how these devices compare to a dedicated server like the Bryston BDP-3 or Aurender.

Limniscate - Romaz, over on Head-Fi, has a thread titled Comparison of 5 High End Music Servers. I read all 56 pages of the thread (now I know how someone who has to catch up on this thread feels!). To summarize (your welcome), he compared  the Aurender N10, CAD CAT server, TotalDac d1-Server, Auralic Aries and Audiophile Vortex Box. He did not include the Gen 2 Antipodes DX or the Baetis (not to mention the Bryston or a bunch of others). His final opinion was that the CAD CAT was the clear winner when considering sound quality and ease of software use. N10 sounded almost as good but was easiest to use. D1-Server sounded almost as good also but software was much less user friendly. He then got involved with the MicroRendu and finally the SMS-200 and now the Ultra. He has heavily supported this gear with Paul Hynes Linear Power Supplies and such, and says the sound is superior to all of the music servers. It's basically a high end, multi-reclocked, super linear power supplies multi piece music server. 

I have an N10 in my room now and have an Antipodes Gen 2 DX coming in 2 weeks to audition. Dave of Audio doctor is brining his Baetis tomorrow morning. So within a few weeks I will be able to give my impressions of those 3. I am also trying to get a CAD CAT and CAD DAC in to audition. It's a lot of work. But worth it.