Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

From AC, "Red Wine Audio RWA-Z1ES-3 Impressions" thread

Basically the RWA-Z1ES leve 3 is a sensational sounding source. I have had a lot of DAC/Server combo's in the past and this one is my favorite in sound quality and function. For reference I have owned the Bryston combo, The Lampizator Big 6/mac book, modded Mac Mini/RWA Isabella DAC, Mac Mini/Tranquility DAC SE, Wyred4sound server Mytec DAC, PSA Perfect Wave II server/ DAC and some others. To be fair I know my system better now and may have it optimized better at this time to get the most of what the RWA-Z1ES Level 3

A never ending list of contenders.

When you're talking about the "Big 5" and Big 6" Lampizators, is that an enhanced Lampizator Level 5 and 6?

Or are all Level 5 and 6 Lampizators always called "Big" ?

One box = BIG.
Two box is the classic level X.

Thank you Agear, unfortunately I never heard a high end digital amplifier in my life, so I have no idea how one would sound like.
I have two biases.... Equipment which will not serve as a secondary furnaces... And components that conform to my ideal of music.... A few class D amplifiers do.... Veritas, some Rowland amps, the new Bel Canto Black, possibly the Mola Mola... A few solid states, like Solution....

I also enjoy the sound of a handful of valve based amps, like the VTL 450 and Siegfrieds and the ARC reference series... But am not interested in baby sitting and rolling aging tubes, hence I will not seek tubed components for my system.

G

Agear:

My previous reference system was very tube-centric.
Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista, Vac Ref Sig pre-amp with phono, Tenor (hydrid, tubed/SS amp). It was stunning. Musical and magical.

When I got back into it I went straight to an inexpensive tubed system I passed through on my way to tubed reference nirvana many years ago; Cary Audio SLP-98p and BAT VK60SE. It was a magic combo and gave performance way above it's cost, so I went straight to it again. Then the upgrade big bit!

I decided to try some solid state gear I had been intrigued by when I started years ago, just to avoid the tube replacement/rolling neurosis I suffered with my first go round. Krell and Levinson were very solid state sounding, I stayed with my tube gear. But I heard a well put together AR and McIntosh system and began to realize that there is SS equipment that can give me the music. I eventually found Jeff Rowland and decided to "upgrade" to a Capri S2 pre-amp. I looked for a solid state amp to try out and brought several in. I like smaller manufacturers as I think you get better quality and more reasonable prices for what you get; so I heard about and started looking into Merrill Audio's Veritas. As first I was skeptical. But the manufacturer happens to live about 10 minutes from my house and he offered me an audition that utterly blew me away. I read up on it, and that's where I found Guido's review and met him. He is a card carrying Rowland lover, and doesn't hide it. But he was as impressed as I was with the Veritas amps and confirmed that the Vertias amps would work well with a Rowland pre-amp. So the tube gear went and I went all solid state.

I don't remember when, but I picked up the PS Audio PW2 in there somewhere to tide me over until the rest of my system was set, and then I would start a crazy thread and upgrade my DAC. ;)

Eventually I decided that I liked the Rowland pre-amp and wanted to move up the line. Guido coincidentally decided to sell his Criterion reference Rowland pre-amp as he decided to run his Aeris direct to his uber expensive Rowland amps. Obviously the Aeris was impressive if he was willing to not only use it, but give up his prized Criterion...

I bought the Criterion from him.

I auditioned 5 pairs of speakers. Guido had suggested I listen to The Music but it was low on my list. I auditioned Revel Salon II's, Kef 207/2, Sonus Faber Amati Futura, TAD Evolution One and Vienna Acoustics The Music. I am happy to give details of this comparison (its a few pages worth), but I decided that the Kef 207/2 was the best value, The Amati was amazing but didn't rock, i didn't like the TAD, the Salon II's were bright and The Music's were staggeringly good in every conceivable way…

It was at that point that I learned that Guido and I have similar taste; hence our similar systems… I don't know if I would call it imprinting (although I'm not sure what, exactly, that means).

The Veritas amps are stunning. Musical and magical (like my Tenor was). and I think my Criterion is equal to, if not better, then my Vac Ren Sig II pre-amp was.

SO, I'm where I was from an emotional standpoint. My The Music speakers are better then my Talon Firebird Diamond's were. My amps and pre-amp get me to the same place, just with SS gear instead of tubes. My system is musical, and warm, and engaging as it was with tubes. I don't think that tube vs SS really excises anymore. I think there are solid state rigs that sound like they have tubes and there are tube rigs that sound like they are all solid state; the designer tubes the gear to the way he thinks it should sound…

I think thats why I'm having such a difficult time with my choices. Many of you are looking at this as the tube gear versus the solid state gear, or tube and tube and solid state against solid state. I'm just listening for the best unit for my system and my ears.

like I said, I'm just typing is like I hear it….

Wow, that was way longer then i intended. Sorry.