Best Digital Source That Money Can Buy?

I agree with Newly. I use a good transport (Lector with aftermarket clock) through a dCS Purcell to send 24/176 dual AES into a Scarlatti DAC. My digital cables are LessLoss RCA between transport and upsampler, LessLoss dual AES to Scarlatti ($250 apiece for the three wires a while back). The sound is sublime, even with the long signal chain. I had an Elgar DAC prior - a top notch unit as well, but not in the Scarlatti's class.

Start saving now to snap up a used Scarlatti DAC at half or less new price, once enough units have been in the field for a while and fickle audiophiles jump ship. I won't be one of them.

has anyone compared these esoteric and expensive products to an amr 77 ? if so what were the results ?

it helps to have a personal criterion for the designation "best". in my case, best means, least timbrally inaccurate, relative to the sound of an instrument, not the sound of a recording.

I wonder has anyone compared the top players with some of the smaller exclusive brands like the Soulution 740 or the Vitus SCD-010 player???

I have the Emm Labs CDSA player and a friend of mine compared it to the DCS Puccini. He enjoyed the mids and high from the DCS much better than the Emm Labs but the Emm Labs had much better bass. (With his system of course).

I wonder if the Vitus and/or Soulution would be the best of both worlds?

I forgot to mention that my friend used the DCS Puccini directly into his poweramps. Wonder if you put it through a pre the bass would improve????

JB0194, you mention that you agree with Newly.....

are you saying that you think that the DCS Puccini is 'best' compared to the others that Newly mentioned.....which infers he has compared these units?

Without any doubt the best today available digital front is dCS Scarlatti, forget Payback designs, EMM labs, Zanden and others toys, I dont own it, but if one day I have the money..., and sorry I have one EMM labs combo that is vey good

or that you really like the Puccini and prefer it to others you have heard?

these are two quite different things to say. i am still waiting for Newly to answer DCstep's question about whether Newly has actually compared the Puccini to those he mentions or is he just guessing.....specifically has he compared the Puccini to the Playback Designs (which has only been on the market since mid-June).

btw; the Puccini may be best but i have not done any comparisons to venture an opinion about that.