Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD


Hi All.

Putting together a reference level system.
My Source is predominantly standard 16/44 played from a MacMini using iTunes and Amarra. Some of my music is purchased from iTunes and the rest is ripped from standard CD's.
For my tastes in music, my high def catalogues are still limited; so Redbook 16/44 will be my primary source for quite some time.

I'm not spending DCS or MSB money. But $15-20k retail is not out of the question.

Upsampling vs non-upsampling?
USB input vs SPDIF?

All opinions welcome.

And I know I need to hear them, but getting these ultra $$$ DAC's into your house for an audition ain't easy.

Looking for musical, emotional, engaging, accurate , with great dimension. Not looking for analytical and sterile.
mattnshilp
Bill_K - I agree. I was responding to someone else's comment that the Lampy would sound its best with an external USB to spdif converter. The same can, I'm sure, be said for the Aeris and DS DAC's. The only DAC with a reliably superior USB input is the AE OverDrive SE.

That said, I can not overstate how freakin good both the Aeris and Big6 are fed through the USB!!!!

I am just saying that I don't want to go down the external USB/spdif converter road right now.
Mattnshilp, I've mentioned the BMC PureDac earlier. You should add it to your list. It is very cheap at $1790 retail. I know of a man who bought one for use in his bedroom system and now uses it in his main system in place of the expensive dCS multiple box dac.
TBG - my room partner and I used my Overdrive in one system and the BMC in another system in or RMAF room last year. BMC is good at that price point, but not in the same league.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Well Joecasey, if you like a flat 3D presentation with the middle octaves distant, then the Sylvania tubes will be for you.
I am not here for any agenda on the Lampi or anything else. I simply suggested a tube change that in my system, which excels in 3D presentation, might give the reviewer here another view into the Lampi sound. And with the CAT amps/SoundLab pair, I can compete with all but the very top systems at the frequency extremes as well.

Solid state designers have many amplification devices to chose from. Tube designers are stuck with a few limited choices which are in high supply, sadly poor performers compared to the past tubes. But the consumer can resolve this with a little effort.

If I based any listening sessions to the tube products I have owned over the years with their stock tubes, I likely would never have been satisfied with any of them. The stock tubes barely give even a glimpse of a tube product's potential…..I don't care what any tube product manufacturer says about this.

I will soon try a number of rectifier tubes in the L6 and share those findings in a new upcoming thread.