Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Steve,
In the DAC comparison I commented on regarding the Bricasti SE and Total DAC the only variable was switching between the two DACs. Same ethernet cable, components, speakers,cables etc. The intention of the comparison was not to declare a champion in any sort of definitive sense.

It was an opportunity to listen to 2 very well regarded DACs in a very good and familiar audio system playing music we knew well. No proclamations just an opinion on how they reproduced music in a direct one on one scenario. It was both fun and informative,. Common sense dictates that listener preferences will vary.
Charles

Charles.

Another Davinci2 owner was a previous Bricasti SE DAC owner and said that although close, the Davinci2 was unquestionably superior.

I will I’ll ask him to bring it over the next time he comes so we can hear it in my system.

I believe that the top tier TotalDAC is something special. I intend on getting it in sometime this year, but it’s a huge multi unit system. The TotalDAC system, TrinityDAC and MSB Select 2 may be the only thin to outperform the Davinci2. Of course, there’s CH Precision, Soulution, DCS Systems and such as well, but I think that like the Boulder they offer dynamics and detail but lack musicality (totally my opinion, and some of it assumption and not a result of listening).

Thanks Steve, for the complement. I try to keep things objective in regards to apples to apples comparisons, consistent and honest.

....but the issue with Delta-Sigma is the filtering. The issue with R2R is this non-linearity.

@audioengr

Perhaps I’m "fanning the flames" here just a bit, nevertheless, I’d like to comment on this in particular because I was/am well aware (so I think) of the "filtering" long before I posted in this thred.

My Oppo UDP-205 (delta-sigma) has a user preference setting whereby the filter can be changed. Way back, I did some research as to what this entailed, and found it had all to do with "pre-ringing", "post-ringing" and basically everything at the 20 KHz point. I tried all (7) available filters and none made the sound "better" than the default (mini-phase fast). It only made it as good or worse, to my ears.

So, what "filter" is the issue with delta-sigma?

Per Steve’s last post above, this is exactly why hybrid ESS 9028 designs are way ahead of everything. 

The latest ESS designs are halfway between the R2R style and delta - sigma! The 9028 a 6 bit delta sigma by virtue of hundreds of 1 bit delta sigma on the chip!!!