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Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Hi All.

Putting together a reference level system.
My Source is predominantly standard 16/44 played from a MacMini using iTunes and Amarra. Some of my music is purchased from iTunes and the rest is ripped from standard CD's.
For my tastes in music, my high def catalogues are still limited; so Redbook 16/44 will be my primary source for quite some time.

I'm not spending DCS or MSB money. But $15-20k retail is not out of the question.

Upsampling vs non-upsampling?
USB input vs SPDIF?

All opinions welcome.

And I know I need to hear them, but getting these ultra $$$ DAC's into your house for an audition ain't easy.

Looking for musical, emotional, engaging, accurate , with great dimension. Not looking for analytical and sterile.
mattnshilp
macdude
186 posts
 
I feel digital is so dependent upon the quality of our mains power. So we are all hearing different things from the same exact DAC based upon our power quality.

I have a Bakoon DAC-21 that is off the grid.

It has the lowest noise floor and distortion I have heard in my system.

And it seems a bit silly now to have spent tens of thousands of dollars on power and ground conditioning. When in the end it still doesn’t stack up to a well designed DAC that’s off the grid.

Hopefully we will get more DACs like the Bakoon or the LIO DAC that is completely decoupled from the A/C with its dual capacitor bank design.
w1000i's avatar
w1000i
70 posts
 
chord blue mkii is the king of all CD player. and work also as upsampler 
jh901
67 posts
 
There is not a "king of all CD player". Please be considerate. This is an epic thread. Read it over a few days.

-Josh
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
MacDude - you make a good point. But i believe that proper conditioning and good cables can compensate for a lot of the hash from the AC line. I don't think that battery power is the panacea that some think it to be. But your point that the same DAC could sound very different with different conditioning or source voltage is correct and well made. 

Jh901 - if Budweiser is the king of beers then pretty much ANYTHING would be the king of CD players. Budweiser adjusted the definition to lower the bar significantly! 😂😂😂
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
Matt, that's actually kind of funny and a great analogy, lol.  Thanks for the laugh.  
Yes, everything makes a difference in digital.  

Wisnon, I wish I could be there, but I have knee surgery in Sept and won't be cleared to travel anywhere for at least two months. Having MS really slows down my recovery times.  Plus, being the Fall, I'd be in OK for football if I could travel, lol....It's too bad as I've love to hear that demo.  

Charlie Hansen told me on CA that there will be a Roon server that's non computer based being released in the Fall.  I'm going to find out more.  It's not going to be an Ayre, but we will see.  

Looks like there will be a lot of servers coming out in the next couple of years.  Things will need to shake out a bit for servers.  
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