Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Jeff (Jwm),
Even if you were to hear the MSB 100K dollar DAC and found it to sound exquisitely superb(😊) it still wouldn’t settle any debate in regard to superior D/A conversion. Rather it would speak to A to Z implementation and the "multiple " factors that contribute to a successful audio product.

You’ve been at this a long time and know it’s just a matter of time before the next "best DAC is anointed. Not being critical but you and I know this is the inevitable course. BTW the next anointed best DAC could utilize R2R, delta sigma or some other approach. So this question of superior conversion method is never settled.

Implementation trumps specific design approach as Al astutely summarized above.
Charles

@gdhal
Hi Hal,

No, my statement was not intended to imply that musical information is lost when data having more bits per sample and a lower sample rate is converted to fewer bits per sample at a higher sample rate. From a theoretical standpoint nothing will be lost if the increase in sample rate is sufficient to compensate for the decrease in bits per sample.

And while I do not have detailed familiarity with the specifics of modern delta-sigma DAC designs, user reports of good results with high end delta-sigma designs, published measurements, comments by some who have such familiarity (such as the comments provided by Steve and Shadorne yesterday), as well as my general belief (shared by many others here) that in audio how well a chosen design approach is implemented is usually more important than which approach is chosen, all lead me to believe that "throwing away the original samples" (as referred to by Schiit) is a non-issue in modern high end designs.

Best regards,
-- Al

Charles I agree with you, but let’s put it this way. Say the Bricasti best the MSB, well there has not been any highly rated RTR yet that I have heard to be king. There can only be so many  one can test , but this may possibly show I prefer delta sigma. The point is I listen to and enjoy what sounds good. I’m not trying to bash RTR but so far to me it does not have a good track record.

It’s funny how the reviewer thought the total dac had more detail. I totally found the opposite. Not only more detail but also much more open and much bigger soundstage beyond the speakers for the Bricasti. When I told the total dac owner about not very open, he said, oh you have to try my new 20,000.00 dac seven. Oh my did I laugh to myself.