Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Audio Doctor,

Your absolutely right system synergy was something i used to take lightly not anymore experience shows what can work for others does not necessarily mean it will work for us. This is why an in home demo is highly suggested.

Out of Roon vs Jriver this debate has been going on for some time, which do you think sounds better to your ears?

All systems are synergistic.  That's the problem in audio IMHO....too many buy based threads like this or other ones I read and participate in.  They need to put a system together as just that...a system.  Well engineered and built products should all sound very good together, but this is also electronics and they don't always play well in the sandbox together.  I keep thinking I have a good system and then I upgrade and wow.....  The Quatro's were installed and set up yesterday and holy cow.  Now I can really hear what the rest of the system is capable of. I got the lower priced Treo's knowing I would upgrade within a few years, so I made sure I got components that sounded great with either speaker.  Now I don't have to worry about amps, cables or DAC.....  The synergy is there.  Have a friend who reads this thread too I believe and he did the same thing with B&W's.  I have not like many of the DAC's spoken about, but I know I'm the outcast.  I like a different sound possibly.  I listen to a ton of live music as I like to get out as much as possible.  I know many on this board also do as we discuss it all the time.  

Dragon has added even more life into a great thread.  Thanks man.

Ctsooner, I hate to disagree with you but I must. All systems are NOT synergistic.

We have seen way better results in some instances of using a tube preamp with a solid state amp sometimes from different companies.

We have also seen that sometimes too much of one companies products can tilt the sound in an unfavorable way while in some instances  company A's amp plus company A's preamp does indeed sound better.

As per synergy you would think in our main demo rig that the T+A preamp, plus the T+A amp, plus the T+A reference SACD/CD/Dac would sound the best, after all they are all from the same company and were designed together, yet the Davinci still sounds signigantly better. 

So if your point was valid then the all T+A system should sound way better yet it doesn't.

In your case Vandy Treo and Vandy Quattro are voiced similarily same with your friends B&W, if you for example moved from Vandy to Magico, or Vandy to Rockport, or Vandy to Rahido you would probably not be digging the combo with Ayre. 

The Vandy/Ayre combo works at the Vandy's tend to be a bit on the overally warm side with the Ayre's being a bit lean. So the combo works beautifully which is the defination of synergy.

We tried many brands of expensive reference gear because they did not work well with some of our speakers. For example we tried the Thrax gear which was fantastic stuff, and CJ, and Devialet and none sounded as good as the T+A gear on both our Polymer speakers as well as the Personas.

When we had the Scaenas the CJ combo was magical and sounded better then our reference solid state Chord stuff at that time. 

So synergy is when you find a set of speakers, electronics, digital, cables  power conditioning etc that work together to create a sound that you find that works to your particular taste and sonic expectations.

The main reason for why so many people flip their gear is they do not know how to create synergy, when sometimes just changing cables or adding a few things can make a system come alive. 

Troy and Dave
Audio Doctor

Great stuff!! I'm not sure CT meant what he said the way he said it. Peter and I have had many off thread conversations about system synergy and the importance of component matching. People buy from reading instead of listening; I think that was more his point.

I have heard MSB and felt as you did. The MSB unit came and left. I owned a Lampi Big 6, not a 7 or GG. The 6 was built well but had a garage made appearance and feel. I think the GG is a significant step up and has the ability (from hearing it at shows) to make its owner very happy. As I said, i have not heard a Playback Designs in my room. If anyone wants to arrange an audition I'm happy to listen.

Listening tastes, room acoustics, equipment synergy, hearing capacity, cable voicing, electrical and vibration isolation, and seating position ALL affect our experience and interpretation of a system's overall performance. I've had DAC's in my room that I loved and a friend strongly disliked, and vice versa.

I believe almost every DAC listed can be properly integrated into a system to create an emotionally engaging system. My system, my ears and my tastes have led me in the direction I have shared, and will continue to share.

Descriptions from myself and others should help to define different DAC's qualities so that buyers can make more educated decisions. Base purchases on descriptions of sound described here, and then listen for yourself!!!

Matt, thanks for sharing.  Yes you understand what I was saying.

"All systems are synergistic."  Sorry that I didn't post the way you could understand.  I actually was called by another poster who did understand what I was saying.  I can see where it could possibly mean what you thought it meant, but I've been around long enough to know that system matching is always critical.  That's pretty basic stuff, but thanks for your examples.

Matt, I'm excited to see how you feel about some of these others DAC's now that you will have what you feel is a great reference.  I'm looking forward to coming down to listen once it's broken in.  Will be a fun time.