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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
 
Toerapaudio- holy crap. That’s hysterical! 

Just to be clear... I WON’T BE TRYING THAT!!! 😂😂😂
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
CTSooner/Geoffkait - I’m not trying the Shun Mook Mpingo discs. I’m trying the footers, the Giant Diamond Resonators (GDR) mechanical grounding product. The Mpingo are for room tuning, the GDR are for mechanical grouanding (ie. Footers). 

I just know they are a special type of ebony and then fabricated to a standard. Comparing these to a normal piece of ebony is like comparing a normal cylinder of steel to a StillPoint. 

They have a HUGE following and many have touted them to be the best there is. They are the only footers that defy explanation scientifically, or at least they do to me. So I hold judgement until my ears evaluate them. 


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Shun Mook Diamond Resonators are even more complicated than the Mpingo disc. Maybe there should be a course on how to knock off Shun Mook resonators. Like the Shun Mook Spatial Kit, that has three Mpingo discs on a wood bracket, the Diamond Resonators have to be all like tricked out when they’re assembled so the separate discs won’t interfere with each other. You know, since they’re directional. Been there done that. I would however, very much like to have a set of Giant Diamond Resonators.
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Geoffkait - whatever it takes. We’re audiphiles..... we do ridiculous things to get better sound. If I need to spend a bit of time getting the most out of these tweaky bastards then so be it. All in the name of good sound! Huzzah!

i have no intention of knocking anything off. My comment was in regards to CTSooner saying he’s going to try some simple pieces of ebony under his components when I mentioned the Shun Mook product. I simply stated that the Shun Mook Resonators were as far from a block of normal run of the mill ebony as a StillPoint is from a normal cylinder of Steel. 
toetapaudio
474 posts
 
@mattnshilp 

I thought you would go for four. 😊
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