Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Everything you have said about the DAVE is what I too have heard.  I could never relax into the music when it was in the system.  This is why I went with the QX5/20.  It has layers and is more musical for me.  It's coherent.  Matt, you know how we always talk about coherency, so I find it interesting that you too brought this up. 

Digital is sooo soooo difficult to do properly. To get it to sound organic and musical is so hard with all the timing errors you have.  That's a big reason why so many DAC's fall short as they try so hard to be the last bastion of detail, but they lose some of the body of the music by doing this.  You may have found a more transparent or more extended DAC, but I bet when you listen, you lack the body that you love. 

Thanks again Matt.  You will take much flax from the DAVE fans, but you do give it a real listen and it's appreciated.

Are you using the HF filter option on the Dave? 

Might also want to check out the Chord Blu Mk 2 for the DAVE. New CD transport that can be used as a digital upscaler and is designed to work with DAVE.  Supposedly significantly increases performance of DAVE (per the designer and some in Asia that have heard it).  I have a DAVE and have one on order.  Ships to US June.  Good luck.

what are you doing in regards to electrical noise for the Dave & others?

The synergy of digital set ups with other components in the chain has a such huge impact on the end product.  For example, I can say the Dave fed by Lumin U1, going direct to Soulution 511 monos pushing Magico M3s (my digital system) certainly does not lack layers, note decay or coherence.  The sound is unbelievable and I would say the Dave excels in all these areas and will crush DACs much more expensive in sound quality.  But what cstooner may hear in his system or Matt in his, with their components etc, it can be very different.