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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
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
Yes George, you will post as often as you can about the R2R, even though many of us feel that there are other designs that we feel sound better than any of the R2R's we've heard to date.  Both have their strengths and weaknesses.  That's the reality.  

Heck, Steve Nugent has made both types of DAC;s and is preferring non R2R right now for many reasons.  

Lot's of great DAC's out now in all price ranges.  
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
550 posts
 
Yep, ct, you will say as often as you can that there are great DACs of both types. But there will always be people like George (and seemingly me, too) that will always hear something we like better in an R2R... 
 A DAC I like upgraded the model and in turn also went from R2R to DS. It sounded “better” within some typical audiophile categories, like tone, timbre, harmonics, among other, and it gets closer in to the Instruments inner details...but something was also lost. There is just something out on the edges of the information that sounds more natural when it’s R2R. Some of us will gravitate towards that and others will want the ‘more obvious’. But regardless, you are right; there are great DACs for all tastes and ears. 

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
There is just something out on the edges of the information that sounds more natural when it’s R2R.
Yes, I think it’s called "dynamic contrast" and it breaths life and jump factor into the music,when converting PCM 16/44 24/96 or dxd, I have thousands of CD’s and that's the title to this thread, don’t know and don’t care about dsd.

Cheers George
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
550 posts
 
That’s good to know, George. My unknowledgeable brain interpreted it and has been calling it “proper volume scaling” of everything. 
jh901
67 posts
 
Shame this thread died. Is the thread starter still around?
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