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Who listens primarily to Redbook CD?

My primary (only, actually) source is a CEC TL5 Transport feeding an Audio Note Kit 1.1 NOS DAC through a Cerious Technologies Graphene Extreme AES/EBU digital cable. They are both decked out with CT GE power cords, Synergistic Research Quantum Black fuses, Herbie's Audio Lab Tenderfeet isolation footers, plus other misc. tweaks.

Sounds great, and I have very little desire to add another source. Pretty much all the music I want is available on CD, and is usually quite cheap. I hope to upgrade to an AN factory DAC (3.1x/II, or better, would be nice), and a Teo Audio liquid metal digital cable (I have their Game Changer ICs, and absolutely love them!) in the future.

Who else is happy with Redbook CD as their primary source?
tommylion
arh
366 posts
 
I basically stream from Tidal which is basically redbook cd quality. Am very happy with the quality and have never found hi-rez to be better
Alan
nutty
2,907 posts
 
tommylion-
"I primarily listen to redbook CD". I use an Ayre cx-7emp. I’m using a 15" x 18"x 2" Mapleshade block with black powder coated Surefeet. I have a Gutwire Notepad that I place on top the transport.

I also use the Oppo BDP105D though it’s not quite as good as the Ayre. However the Oppo allows me to play all other formats. Besides being a kicka## Blue Ray player, I stream Pandora, (low-rez) and use the DAC via several inputs. (USB hi-rez) I still like my redbook best. The Ayre has better pace, thunderous low end, sounds more life like and finds more music in the grooves of the disc than the Oppo.

N
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
I tend to listen to redbook, for the most part, but I’m using a ladder or R2R DAC. No delta-sigma single bit DAC here.

Which makes a huge difference, IMO. When folks hear it they keep asking me how to get that incredible sound out of digital.

The answer is to find a good ladder dac and (properly) modify the hell out of it.

Or spend a ton of money ($15-50k) for one of the newer discrete dacs that have emerged.(essentially the same design criteria)

I've also been working on designing that particular digital cable for you (and others). The fluid requires a whole different set of analysis, in design, as compared to 'wire'.
zipost's avatar
zipost
197 posts
 
Tommylion....audionote dac are extremely musical, you should upgrade it to the 4.1balanced better than the 3.1, by a Big Margin.  

Separates are nice to have but without the right digital cables it can make or break a system.   Do yourself a favor and buy the NBS Blacklable digital cables.   You Will Not Be Disappointed! 
erik_squires
16,123 posts
 
The last 5 years I have heard exceptional inexpensive DAC's that play Redbook as well as they play high-res.

I'm not really as interested in hi res/MQA anymore as a result.
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