What CDP gets really close to vinyl?

Muralman, while I totally get your point about how and why Vinyl sounds superior to digital and the case of "Harmony" and I also understand your preference to NOS dacs and simplistic but well designed transports (47 labs) I am still a bit confused. I am confused because while I too love the Vinyl sound I have discovered that when I listen to hi-rez, typically 24/192 files downloaded from the likes of HD Tracks and Linn I do not miss the Vinyl sound at all. Rather I start questioning if vinyl sound is in anyway better than this !! I mean if we are really trying to achieve a sound quality which is as good as or better than Vinyl, shouldnt it come through the fundamentals of the media rather than trying to use components which mimic the Vinyl sound ? After all Vinyl is not just appreciated for its harmony and analogue-ness, it is all appreciated for its extreme frequency extension on both ends, very high resolution and superb soundstaging. I dont think the combo you have mentioned does all that. I mean the limitation of AN dacs are well known though they are extremely good components. Either we go all hi-rez both in terms of contents and equipments and achieve/beat the Vinyl sound on a wholesome basis or we stick to NOS dacs and try to achieve a partial Vinyl-like sound and remain content. There might be some dacs which will do the balancing act really well and that is exactly what I am looking for.

Pani, It was not my intention to give impression I was trying to get a vinyl sound. What got audiofeil al worked up was I said my system beats vinyl. I can't agree CDs don't contain the lows and highs that vinyl systems do. The lowly CD does have all the lows and highs, and beyond that it has some 30% more dynamic headroom. Now, that is significant.

I know, from past experience, high res discs (I liked DDD) they have a thicker presence in most systems. In the real good systems I have heard, you really have to listen hard for the difference if any.

My Audio Note DAC is not stock. The remake of the circuit including a crucial diode swap opens the full frequency bandwidth. Now my AN exhibits excellent attack like rim strikes.

The highs are, "Exquisite," according to one listener. Here is the rest of his quote, "It is unreal how good the Flatfish and the Audio note sounds. It has the right amount of ambience, air, staging. Bass is beyond description. Very tuneful and meaty with right amount of pitch definition. Vocal is NIRVANA to listen to. Nothing is exaggerated. No wonder you have been screaming how good your system sounds, unfortunately to most with deaf ears. Oh well, Too bad they missed out big time."

The DCS gear uses a proprietary and quite sophisticated and well executed programmable DAC architecture (the "Ring" DAC).

I have not studied the exact algorithm used, but I believe the DCS DAC architecture in general to be absolute SOTA in regards to its precision digital signal processing capabilities for this application (high end sound) and is the thing that puts DCS in its own league in regards to being able to do massed strings and such in a manner comparable to vinyl/analog.

I say that based on my own professional experience with very high end digital image processing and knowing what it takes to squeeze the nth degree of accurate detail out of digitally encoded signals in general (plus having listened to a lot of music and audio gear over the years).

The $300 (used) mhdt Constantine DAC that I currently favor in my rig is at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of design approach as I understand it, but is also of very high quality, I believe.

It does a fairly straight up A to D conversion using no filtering or other digital signal processing in the equation.

The results are quite good I would say in comparison to the much more expensive DCS.

I would estimate that the DCS squeezes that last bit of enjoyable detail out in the case of massed strings, similar to good vinyl, but for way higher cost.

Practically, for me, the difference is a non issue. What I have is 100% listenable with ALL kinds of music, not just the elusive massed strings. What the DCS does is fill in that last minute but detectable bit of harmonic detail reliably in a manner that vinyl lovers will appreciate.

If I did not compare my digital to other high quality rigs, or even the best vinyl in my own rig, I would probably not even know or care what I might be missing.

I take my medication for audiophilia every day. It helps me appreciate what I have and helps keep more money in my pocket as well!

Mapman, upon reading your post, I saw a CD player I never heard, or read a review of, the Constantine. So, I looked it up and found this lovely review of it, and another similar DAC. My DAC has four tubes. There will always be arguments on the worth of tubes. All I care is if the resulting music strikes me as being authentic.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0406/mhdt_laboratory_dac.htm