Old digital that still kicks butt

I agree the good old R2R ladder dacs sound more musical than any of the one bit or bitstream dacs I’ve heard. But it also depends on the implementation. I’ve had two players with 2x PCM 1704k (Krell KAV 300cd and Bow ZZ-8) that both sounded very nice (still own the Bow for its striking industrial design). But they were no match for the Krell KPS20i from 1995, which had 4x PCM 64k (one generation older R2R) in fully balanced digital mode. Over the years this machine has survived many newcomers from respectable brands (Metronome, Esoteric), so for me this is ’old digital that still kicks butt’. Even literally, as the bass slam of this thing has never been surpassed in my experience. I recently had it fully refurbished with a motor and servo revision, new laser, new clock, new caps, etc. I just hope it will run forever.

My modern, not vintage Naim ND555 music server uses the 1704 chip in an R2R ladder DA C.   It sounds pretty good.  I have no idea if this particular approach is the reason for it sounding good.  My old CD player, also a Naim CDP555 also had a ladder DAC employing that same chip.  Does that make me a fanboy?

Cary HDCD 306/200 w/ 8x1704's. When I sold my big rig almost 6 years ago, I went back to the Cary and was happy happy happy to hear it still more than held its own.  Just a great sounding player and DAC still after 15 years. Recently sold mine away to a local friend and replaced with an AMR DP777SE and the improvement is there, but not leaps and bounds....the CD77.2, now, THAT's a DAC and player of a different color.

Not being a believer that time necessarily = progress, I would like to offer the following example of a sonic gem that has transcended time and can totally kick butt in a modern milieu:

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I never wasa  believer in idea:
The New = The Superiior. 
 The latest DAC craze has not interested me in the least.
I have a  cayin CD17 takes a  pair of 6922 tubes have some Mundorf Silver EVO caps in front and exit, if the buyer installs some high tech chinese opamps which I added to my Jadis JS2 Mark2, and you will have 1st Class high fidelity which  few modern DAC's will match. 
Why?
1) Mundorf cpas
2) 6922 tube circuit
3) new super high tech 6 single OPamps.
I just tested w/o the chinese super tech ops and it sounds near the Shanling cd3000 as cd drive + jadis JS2 Mark 2 DAC with Mundorf/4 chinese ops, 2 superr tech, the other 2 I will replace with Super High Tech. I bought  a pair for testing and IMMEDIAETLY ordereda  2nd set.
This Cayin CD17 is going on 20 yrs old, and plays  perfect, built like a  tank, to last forever.
So yes, new does not interest me in the least. 
Upgrading older units with new tech tweaks (Caps/opamps), is the way to go for Super High Fidelity. The Cayin with 6 new chinese high tech ops will  out shoot any new high tech DAC's going at $5g's.
Opamps really is the heart of a  cd player. Less the chips.
I will list it later this week. . 

jaytor454 posts06-07-2021 3:51pmAfter a 10+ year hiatus from 2-channel audio (I was focused on home theater), I decided about nine years ago to set up a system in my home office. I had a Levinson

The No 39 was a very well regarded DAC/CD Player in it's day, but I figured that DACs had likely improved a lot in the intervening 15 years.

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Not necessarily,
The new Cayin 17 Mark2, is nearly identical design to the older 2004 Mark 1 model. 
Why change something that is designed perfect?
The new $$$$$$$ DAC craze lately has not budged my interest. 
I know what I have and that with new upgardes, there is few DAC's that can match the old Cayin with upgrades. 
If I did not have this Shanling 3000 as drive +  Jadis JS2 DAC, I'd get the new Shanling DAC(like $2k) and mod it with Mundorf caps + New Chinese super tech ops. ($50 for duals, $25 singles)
I plan to upload a  YT vid showing off these opamps, after 2nd set arrives in 2 weeks.