2. digital
  3. 1398132150

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
 
I think the fixation on DACs and their sound is a mistake. Get a good high quality tube preamp with the right tubes and create the tailored sound you want. Simply Connect a high performance SS DAC - any number of Stereophile class A+ will do and many others that Stereophile hasnt reviewed.


I agree that a good preamp is more important than the DAC, however they are both important.  Easier to find a good DAC than a good preamp unfortunately.


Steve N.

Empirical Audio

audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Some of the isolation devices/set ups work GREAT and help tremendously. Only a few makers of gear have implemented any of these in their devices as most don’t even offer ethernet connection for the source. Ayre has an optical isolation device right in front of their ethernet input daughter board. It’s a very expensive way to implement ethernet, but it sounds great.

Steve, have you ever heard of this or tried this on your devices?

I use isolation devices, RF and transformers, in my cabling and components, but not optical.

My system has no ground-loops thanks to these.

The concern I would have with optical is maintaining the edge-rates to get low-jitter.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
I can speak for Empirical, as most who have his products do. I wish his interchange was capable of RAAT protocol that ROON uses

Me too.  Maybe some day.  In the meantime, Linn Kinsky sounds better IMO.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

ketcham
92 posts
 
Steve, do you have an explanation why with Ethernet and data sent in packets and check sum for errors, why jitter exists at all?  Although USB is far worse, why Ethernet requires same careful implementation?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Steve, do you have an explanation why with Ethernet and data sent in packets and check sum for errors, why jitter exists at all? Although USB is far worse, why Ethernet requires same careful implementation?

Like USB, it is unexpected.

I can only speculate that maybe the circuits in the Ethernet receiver react differently to slower edge-rates and poor signal integrity. Maybe the setup timing margins are smaller. This might cause the propagated signals to have more jitter.

Most designers don’t realize that digital logic is not perfect. It will be error-free if designed correctly, but avoiding jitter is a whole different ball of wax. It has taken me literally 25 years of designing and experimenting to discover this behavior.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

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