Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Thanks Matt.  As you know I have always felt the same way.  You know how concerned I am to potentially run The Memory Player direct into the new Vandersteen mono blocks IF I decide to get them as I can't afford those AND a preamp (would then sell my Ayre AX5/20 integrated, so I wouldn't have a stand alone pre).  Again, I don't mind properly done integrated products as they are matched perfectly and usually by the same engineer. 

@georgehifi 

If you bother to have read it, we also went direct. And there was a preamp (that I didn’t want to mention as Mick Maloney is an acquaintance of mine but seeing you want to know)

Oh the irony. 😂 YOU may want to GO BACK TO SCHOOL and LEARN HOW TO READ. In the same statement you quoted:

Did you really only use a passive preamp OR DIRECT TO DAC for this DAC comparison?

The reviewer who’s system we used is Edgar Kramer of Audio Esoterica, Australian HiFI, 6 moons, and is also the principal of Soundstage Australia, and if you bother to do some work you’ll find he also has a Supratek DHT Reference which was used but taken out as it didn’t give what the other configurations gave, as it was too coloured.

https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/reviews/84-wilson-audio-specialties-alexia-series-2-lo....

It also seems like you are confused on the gear you listened to. Based on a quick search, it looks like there is a Gryphon Antillion Evo, and a Gryphon Antillion Signature. The link that you provided shows it is the Gryphon Antillion Evo

........direct into 100kohm of the Gryphone, nor into the 10kohms of the Lightspeed Attenuator.

Cheers George

Where did you see a 100 KOhm spec, or learn how to spell Gryphon? The spec sheet only shows a 20 KOhm input impedance.

http://www.gryphon-audio.dk/Content/Downloads/Technical_Specifications.pdf

. 

Here is what I recommend:
1) Chord DAVE DAC
2) Chord Blu2 CD transport and Upsampler.

The combination of the Chord DAVE and BLU2 as an upsampler is very good and you can get both new and still be within your 20K budget.
I currently have 2 other tube DACS: Zanden 5000Mk IV and Allnic D5000. Both are very good also but the Chord DAVE/BLU2 combo is better. The BLU2 takes the DAVE to another higher level. You need both of them linked together to get the maximize the sound quality.
 have an all tube audio system. The only devices that are non-tube in my current system is the Chord DAVE/BLU2. FWIW.

DDriveman - thank you. I don’t blame anyone for not searching through the previous 84 pages since it’s a daunting task, but I owned and sold the DAVE, auditioned the Allnic D5000, and have had the Zanden DAC and phono stage in my room (owned and sold the Zanden phono stage).

In total disclosure, the Blu2 was not yet released so I did NOT hear the DAVE “fully loaded”. But the DAVE, on its own, although very good, did not overshadow several other dacs in its price range and just under it. It’s form factor and function were seriously cool beans, but in the end it couldn’t compete with other dacs I was listening to at the time. And although I desperately avoid being jaded, I REALLY wanted to like the DAVE. As a headphone DAC/amp combo it is, however, VERY hard to beat! I don’t know if the Blu2 will compensate for the faults I found in the DAVE. I do have a friend who is a dealer and he has a DAVE on demo but not a Blu2. I will see if he can bring in a Blu2 and have him bring both over.

Allnic was disapponting at best. I have a full review posted in the distant pages back.

Zanden was what you would expect. Sweet, engaging, luscious and felt like being engulfed by a giant teddy bear while listening. It was musical and engaging but lacked fine detail and accuracy, typical Zanden sound. I’m talking micro here, not macro. In the right system, Zanden can last and provide a lifetime of happy ownership. I see it joining a Zanden preamp and amps (or maybe Octave if you wanted to increase clarity and resolution a notch), and a pair of Acapella horn speakers in a medium to large room. Jazz and blues and chamber music and choir..... oh mee oh my!!!!

👍🏻👍🏻

Matt, how are the teddy bears doing?  LMAO...I loved that one!  I Actually had the Dave in twice.  I have heard it numerous times in many systems.  I choice teh Ayre QX5 over Dave as to me, it has better bass quantity and quality.  That's just me in my system.  As we have discussed so often, digital is much more prone to sounding different in every system.  As much as there is a house sound etc.... the type of electrical you feed it along with the connections you use will GREATLY affect it.  YMMV.