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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
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Wow. I just found out there is already an Antipodes DX Gen 3! That’s crazy. Anyone have any experience with it??
mitch2
4,098 posts
 
Not yet, but they have been in touch with us current DX owners (Gen 2 here) to discuss upgrade paths and timing - excellent customer service IME.

http://antipodesaudio.com/dx.html
http://antipodesaudio.com/

limniscate
241 posts
 
romaz over at head-fi/computeraudiophile.com is getting the Antipodes DX3 soon.  He just tested the Zenith SE as well.

Dave with Blu2 is amazing!  
whart's avatar
whart
3,064 posts
 
I've checked this thread periodically and commend @mattnshilp for putting his money behind these various DACs- it seems like this has taken on a life of its own, with lot's of good comments.
 I've never done digital seriously, and am now contemplating it for the first time.
My question- without wading through all of the thousands of postings- is whether, for Redbook, the r2r type (whether discrete or chip based) no oversampling, no filter type, e.g. Audio Note and the like, are as good as some of the more modern DACs. I have little interest in DSD, SACD, networking, ripping, or streaming. Just playing standard CDs. TIA. 
bill hart
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Bill - these older D/A chips are very musical, but simply not as accurate as the modern designs, as well as not supporting higher sample-rates.  I offered a ladder-DAC tube output DAC myself for several years.  It was very sweet sounding, never harsh, but never really live either.

I consider the digital filter in most DACs to be the #2 impediment for good digital playback (jitter is #1).  These older chips solve that problem.  They usually don't incorporate any digital filter or force the chip to automatically select a filter.  They make it possible to have only an analog filter and no digital filter.

The problem is that even if you only care about 44.1kHz playback, the HF transient response of these older chips is just not like the live performance.  The attack and decay never seem to be like the live event.

The is why in the Overdrive DAC (one of Matts picks), a newer technology chip was selected that supports up to 192kHz, but allows one to manually select the digital filter.  I recommend to select only the 192 digital filter (there are three) on the Overdrive, even when playing 44.1kHz tracks.  This is how I use it.  This approximates what these older chips do at the same time delivering accurate transient response.

A number of companies have gone to extremes over the last 10 years to develop their own digital filtering techniques, in order to eliminate or reduce pre and post ringing on impulse response of their DACs.  This was an effort to improve the deficiencies in digital filtering in off-the-shelf D/A chips.  So far, I have not been impressed by the sound of these filters.  I still believe minimal or no digital filtering is best.

There are a couple of modern D/A designs that use the old R2R ladder technology, but also support higher sample-rates.  The TotalDAC and the DaVinci II are such designs.  I have read great reviews on both, so they evidently have decent transient response.


Steve N.

Empirical Audio


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