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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
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Steve, what do you now recommend I do with my Mac mini server that you sold me?  I still have the old Amarra etc...  Should I keep it off the internet totally?  I've been using the USB port that you marked as best SQ.  As you know, I'm not technically great.  Tidal is currently streamed in the Ayre QX5 and not the Mac mini.  Thanks.  I can call you if needed to get your answer or be talked through set up, lol....

I have upgraded my Mini with El Capitan and I'm using it with Linn Kinsky to drive network audio now.  Superb SQ, best I ever had.  Not sure if it supports Tidal or not.  I will give Tidal a try soon.  Once you upgrade the OS, the OR5 will not work anymore with the Mac.

Other customers are starting to move from USB to Ethernet.  My Interchange Ethernet renderer is killer good with any DAC.  Look for customer feedbacks on my forum.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

amg56's avatar
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amg56
887 posts
 

@gdhal if I had the huge library of music that you have I would certainly look to FLAC for storage. I am pushing 5 Tb in WAV my NAS library is manageable at the moment. The audio quality between the 2 is really dependant an the system you are playing it on. Mine sounds better with WAV but its not an expensive system either.

20Tb of FLAC music! How do you get time to listen to it all?

bsme85
151 posts
 
@gdhal
Ethernet renderers, as audioengr refers to, are the way to go.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
How do you get time to listen to it all?

I listen at a rate of 12 hours of live concert recordings weekly, for many years now. Each day I listen to a completely different show. In my case, I primarily, but not exclusively, listen to Grateful Dead. To date, I’ve listened to 4772 *unique* show hours and 2026 *unique* dates . My 20 terabytes is not all unique shows. Much of the material is the same show, but a different source. For instance, a show can be a soundboard, audience or matrix. I have about 1 year of music in queue. This is music I’ve already obtained but haven’t listened to it yet. I also have videos of many shows. Videos are typically 12Gb whereas a show in 24bit is 3.5Gb. Details are on my website http://halr.x10.mx/shows.html

Ethernet renderers, as audioengr refers to, are the way to go.

This isn’t practical in my case because I obtain and trade via client peer-to-peer bit torrent. I "collect" the music so as to retain in my personal possession. Grateful Dead can be streamed via ethernet rendering from archive.org, but my collection far surpasses what’s available on the site and is usually better quality sources. Note that at one time archive.org permitted downloading the files and not simply streaming as they do now. Moreover, IMO streaming is not as good as having the source files and playing locally. Streaming invariably involves occasional drop outs, especially if wireless is involved. My opinion on streaming music is that quality suffers in comparison to having the same music available locally. Streaming might be viable if I were just casually listening and not collecting on top of it. Additionally, not all types of music - especially live recordings - are available to stream.  
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Streaming might be viable if I were just casually listening and not collecting on top of it. Additionally, not all types of music - especially live recordings - are available to stream.

Why do you believe that Ethernet renderers = streaming? 

I don't do any streaming at all and I use an Ethernet renderer: my Ethernet DAC the ODSX or my Interchange Ethernet renderer.  I play only my .wav files that are from CD rips and downloads from HDTracks. Everything is stored on a Raid1 and played from there.  I can use Jriver, Twonky or Linn Kinsky for playback.

It's the best sound quality I have ever had, and I've designed 6 generations of USB interfaces as well, Off-Ramp -> Off-Ramp 6.  Here is an apples to apples comparison, measurements and listening tests:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=155232.0

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

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