Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

MikeLavigne - if you can arrange getting an MSB Select II into my room for 2-3 weeks than I would absolutely give it full consideration. 

Charles1Dad - Same for a uber Pacific Lampy. The room at CAF featuring the Lampy DAC was engaging and enjoyable. And it was not the Pacific. 

Essrand - I have been trying for years to hear a Trinity in my room. They have little presence in the US so arranging a demo is nie impossible. And at $45k, even a 50 off preowned piece would still cost well over $20k; and would likely take half a year to move and re-accumulate those funds. I simply can’t do that. Plus, most preowned pieces are in Europe which just adds risk and makes everything more complicated. I am trying. I even emailed the manufacturer yesterday. They don’t have demo units to send out. And I am embarrassed to say I am not familiar with the Wadax Atlantis. Maybe you can contact someone to see if they want to get one to me. ;)

Update on the boulder coming up. 

** UPDATE **

Comparing two world class DAC’s: Boulder 2120 and Light Harmonic Davinci2 

You all know my room and system. 

A dealer. A rep. An audiophile and a manufacturer (all with ears I have come to know and trust, with applied interpretation lol) came over after I spent a LOT of time listening on my own. I ran a blind audition. Input names were given “DAC” and “CD”. All power/interconnect/digital cables same. No one knew which DAC was connected to which Input.

Everyone who came that day said that they prefer input “CD” overall. Both are incredible and we are talking extremes. But everyone felt that when the critical listening was done, “CD” was the input that slipped them out of critical listening into “Lost in the Music” and was just more enjoyable to listen to long term. We also swapped inputs on the pre-amp to make sure the actual inputs didn’t add a difference in sound. I do have another manufacturer friend who was not there that day that preferred the “DAC” input. 

“CD” was the Davinci2.

Final impression :

Boulder - brighter/cleaner (some felt it had a tonal signature that leaned a tad too much towards bright while others felt it just super clean; I believe it to be both), better image specificity with performers existing more clearly defined in their own space. The illusion of more accurate but not, I think, actually more accurate; I think this is a byproduct of the bright/clean issue. More dynamic. It was actually bolder, Lol. 

Davinci2 - More layered. Better sense of portraying the texture of instruments and their complex harmonics. Better pace and rhythm. More natural sense of timbre. Wider/deeper (although not quite as tall) soundstage. Just more musical (I know, it’s a BS descriptor, but it just is).

So everyone unanimously chose the Davinci2 over the Boulder (except my one friend who wasn’t there that day, lol). But everyone said that the Boulder was better with dynamic expression and flat out clarity.

THEN I had them help me lift the massive  Davinci and we finally put my Stillpoint 5’s under the Davinci and the N10. And WOW! What a difference. It dropped the noise floor and gave the Davinci a boost in clarity and dynamic scale. Fascinating.

A good time was had by all!!!

Now, to be completely fair I think that when an  electronics manufacturer only creates front end equipment, ie. DAC or phono stage, that they have the luxury of creating their own vision of that sound isolated to that component. But if they manufacture front end gear as well as amps, preamp‘s etc. then the entire situation changes. They need to design their DAC and phono stage to sound best with their preamp and amp. With this being the case with Boulder I do believe that the voice of the DAC is not completely independent of the DAC alone and that to get the full flavor of the Boulder system I would really require the Boulder DAC, preamp and amp combined. Of course it can stand on its own, but it’s purpose built to sound its absolute best mated to its brethren electronics. 

That all said, I do not currently plan on replacing my amps or preamp anytime soon. So my comparisons are DAC only. :)

The path to audiophile happiness winds through Upgrade Canyon and past the Cliffs of Overkill!! Lake Lost In The Music is on the other side.....

Matt, honestly, you would still like the DaVinci in your system.  The Boulder gear is outstanding. That said it is a bit bright.  Not fatiguingly so, but musically so.  You know that I like it, but can't warm up to it. I'd never own it personally, but many of you guys love that flavor and that's why these shootouts are fun.  

What I've found out is that digital is the most system dependent gear in our systems.  I've heard the same DAC in different systems have the same signature, but not sound the same if that makes sense.  You could take your system Matt and put it in the identical room with a different electric feed and it would sound incrementally different.  Just change the feet...OH, you did.  Just change the power cord.....OH, you have....

We've spoken at length about this off the board, but I wanted to post it here as it ties into your post and update.  

Hoping To hear an updated Emm DAC2X soon as well as a Merging Technologies DAC. The updated DAC2X is supposedly a really nice improvement. 

Also hoping my MP-64 Memory Player server will be arriving soon. And trying to arrange an audition with the Audio Doctor for some superb USB cables and maybe an in room listen if the Baetis music server.