This is NOT a thread on R2R vs PCM technolog.
" Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD"
Sorry but you being the OP headed this.
That's why it went down that path again after you gave such a good report of the R2R Multibit "Mojo Mystique V3" with comments like this.
SO, if you are looking for a single ended DAC you’d be a fool to not listen to the sub $6K single ended Mystique V3!Then it's about "best for PCM RedBook" as you stated. And of course the talk will come down to technology.
Of course, DSD lovers need not apply.
I hope you do some more Matt from the list below, as it will broaden your horizons on what constitutes an great pcm RedBook dac.
As I posted there are many discrete R2R ones now being made (below) as R2R chip converters are unobtainable except for the military missile guidance one that Shiit uses, hopefully they do come back as manufacturing techniques improve to laser trim all those microscopic resistors to a minuscule % .0000001% or less without the massive costs of doing it.
There is a large market for them to come back to, if Delta Sigma can't in the future get the sound from PCM that these R2R's can, but I do admit the 6bit hybrid DS's are getting closer, maybe they just need to go the full wack to 24bit with no DS who knows. Just keep DS for DSD/SACD conversion.
Up to $3k: Border Patrol, Monarchy, Denafrips, Audio-gd, MHDT, Holo, Soeskris, Metrum, Schiit
$5-$15K: Audio Note, MSB, Metrum, Computer Audio Design, Aqua, LessLoss, Totaldac, Lampizator
$15K+: CH Precision, Aries Cerat, Light Harmonic, Audio Note, MSB, Totaldac, Lampizator
**Special mention to MSB, Monarchy and Audio Note, who never gave up R2R. Even after the takeover of delta-sigma.
Cheers George