Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

@mattnshilp 

Great post (thank you)! IMO, MQA has opened the flood gate on possibilities of higher bit rate streaming. 

Here's to good times 🍻

BTW, LG V30 smartphone will be the first to stream MQA playback. 

"The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with the highest multi-media capabilities and purest audio experience. MQA’s award-winning technology captures and reproduces the sound of the original studio master in a file that’s small enough to stream. The LG V30 handset features integrated MQA playback technology so that master quality sound recordings can be played back via the mobile device".

Teaser:

I have completed my evaluation of the Lumin S1 server/DAC (using both its internal DAC as well as its spdif output to my Davinci 2 DAC) and just plugged in and started burning in a Melco N1ZH/2 music server. I will give it a solid week of burn in and audition/compare next Wednesday.

I have a 32 core MP64-32 Memory Player ($55k retail) server on order and that will be coming in about 4-6 weeks would be my guess. Possibly sooner. I'm dying to hear that!!!!

Also, I have arranged for an audition/trial of the mighty Boulder 2120 ($65k retail) server/DAC. I'm giddy like a school girl for that to arrive as well!!!

Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off. I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as well.

Not enough time in the day my friends!!!

Stay tuned!

PS - Yes the Davinci hath arrived. It's got about 500 hours on it. I'll compare it to my cherished ODSX when it reaches a 1000 hours. In the meantime, Steve from Empirical Audio emailed me asking to send back my ODSX for further upgrades that he just came out with and were significant enough that he wanted to implement them into my ODSX. It was shipped out last week and will arrive today.

As a side note, I just put together a "little" office system consisting of a Constellation Centaur stereo amp and Virgo 2 preamp with Focal Sopra #2 speakers. I also bought a pair of Scansonic 5.0 speakers from Larry of Distinctive Stereo (before I found the deal of the century on these Sopra #2's). Although the price is fairly different, I will compare both to see which suits the equipment and the room better. I also need to decide what source I'll be using. Will I go for a server/DAC like the Lumin S1 or A20? Or go crazy and do a server and transition my prized ODSX to the office?!? Don't know yet. Lots of listening to do to decide what's best for that system ....

cheers!!!

"Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off. I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as well."

Matt,
Ah, I think I said I did not want to over promise and nothing about your socks...or mine, lol. So keep your hose on, lol.
But I did say that we are very excited about some testing underway and if it all pans out like we expect then yea.
But I am sure you will enjoy what you experience once you hear the SGM.

Hmm, "affordable grounding trinkets". Well since one version has silver and gold in it "trinkets" might be too much of a misnomer seeing how "trinkets" are not made of precious metals, lol.

Matt, as soon as you have the time I should drop off some more of the Setchi grounding blocks for you to add to your system. If I can help it I plan on NOT removing the ones in my system. I have one on my SGM and one on my T+A DAC 8 DSD. Just those two made a significant difference. I did not expect that degree of improvement.
I just started to try a pair on my Merrill Audio Veritas Amps.

Well, enough of me. 

Alfonse Mirabella
Ambassador, Sound Galleries & Taiko Audio
Sound Test USA
soundtest.info
al.mirabella@soundtest.info

@hifial 

Al, Would you mind sharing bit more info on Setchi D-1 grounding blocks? Try to google them but didn't find any info on their merits. 

Thank you! 

Now that I have a hard wired, fast ethernet connection in the room, I'm going to set up the optical isolation and go from there.  I may try the ground units Al has brought up also.  I'm not sure what ethernet cables I'll be using though. I have loved the AQ diamond in the past and even the Vodka has been fine, but I was also told to get a top cat 8 cable.  I don't believe the AQ cables are Cat 8.  Not sure who makes cat 8 for the high end.  

I also notice that Ayre has my QX5/20 available with various inputs. I have the full assault with 10 inputs, but you can now get it with or without the USB and or ethernet or anyway you want or need it. Very interesting marketing.  I wonder if others will do the same??? 

Melco is supposed to have their own software being worked on.  I have reached out to a head engineer there to find out more about the future of their software and other things. I'll report back when he gets back in the lab in the next week or two.  

Seems like IRT servers that so much is going on.  Maybe even more so than what DAC's went though and still do.  Hard to keep up.