Hi-fi digital front end suggestions for my system

Well, there's one initial choice to be made ... do you want a computer in your listening room? If so, then integrating one (Mac or PC) directly into your system using a good USB DAC would be the way to go. As I understand it, a Vista based PC will sound as good as a Mac.

However, if you don't want the computer in your listening room, then solutions such as the Squeezebox or Transporter would be the other path.

For an investment of $2k, I think you could get excellent sound quality (albeit not SACD). But you could do very well for well under $2k via a stock Squeezebox. For me, the Squeezebox is ideal for entertaining and its definitely a low cost of entry if you already have wireless networking in your home and a sizeable hard-drive on your Thinkpad (and the patience to rip your CDs). Then there are very nice mod paths for the Squeezebox to take it up to an even higher quality if you're so inclined...

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the responses so far. It appears that there are two very good USB DACs in my price range - the Benchmark DAC1 and the Bel Canto DAC3. The Wavelength Cosecant seems awesome but at $3500 is out of my range.

The Bel Canto is a bit over my budget but I would willingly stretch a bit if the difference in sonic performance between the two is significant. From what I have read, the power supply and the clock are both very high end which may justify the difference in price vs. the Benchmark. In either case, I plan to run the DAC into my Manley Shrimp tube preamp, so performance as a dual purpose DAC/preamp is not really my main concern. As an added benefit would the Bel Canto substantially boost the performance of my modded XA9000es (just using the Sony as the transport)?

The Apogee Mini-DAC is another excellent USB DAC in the price range you are considering.

I heard the Transporter in a very good hi-rez system and it was great as a standalone unit. Sounds like the Transporter has excellent built in DAC.

I am also familiar with Benchmark and Bel Canto. It is very questionable to me if either of these dacs can be better or can even compete with the Transporter. But listen if you can before you buy.

Mdht Laboratory makes the Constantine non oversampling tube USB DAC. Enjoythemusic.com gave it good reviews. Designed and made in China and costs $550+-