Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Neurotic you say?!?!?

I resemble that remark!

I'm still away, will be home late tonight and have to work all day tomorrow and Friday to pay for my holiday.

The Aesthetix will come when Jon contacts me and lets me know it's in, properly burned in, and ready to borrow. If anyone wants to check with Jon to see where that process is, be my guest. I don't want to bother him. I'm sure he will contact me when it's ready.

As to the topic of burn in I can only say this. I don't know how long each unit takes to burn in, nor do I 100% understand it. But I know it matters and it makes the unit sound better. I am relying on those that own each unit to advise me as to how long a reliable burn in time is. It sounds like 700h for the Aeris and 500 for the DirectStream. It simply is what it is and I endeavor to give each the best chance I can. I do agree that, although additional time on top of the usual burn in time may allow the unit to continue to mature, there is a point at which it's negative virtues have abated and it's true personality has emerged. After that, it sounds the same essentially but just gets better. So I will use the 700/500 target times.

Mrmb said it best. Regarding tubes, I rely on the manufacturers to pick a solid performer and leave tube rolling until after I buy the unit. The Big 6 is sold and someone else is enjoying its wonderful attributes. I will try the Aesthetix in its stock configuration. Nuff said.

I'll try to get an update to you as soon as I can.

It would be interesting to know the effect of the FD between DAC and preamp and preamp and amp. One of these might be a substantial improvement, particularly if your preamp has no transformer either on the input or output.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Merrill Veritas have no transformer-coupled inputs nor outputs. Rowland Criterion linestage is coupled on all balanced inputs and outputs. Aeris has transformer coupling on SPDIF inputs, and on balanced outputs. It would be indeed interesting to gage the effect of FD between Criterion and Veritas, between Aeris directly into Veritas, and between OD directly into Veritas.

G.

Neurotic you say?!?!?

I resemble that remark!

Yes, you are close to the pinnacle. It is at the core of audiophilia. Why do you think they're so many sycophants in the pews....

Steve, that's my next listening session.

Guido, I tried FD directly between ODSE and Veritas and preferred the Criterion in between.

Now to try FD between ODSE and Criterion and FD between Criterion and Veritas. With all the Rowland gear being transformer coupled, I am thinking it will make the biggest difference (for better or worse) between the pre and amp. I will also try the FD between Aeris and Veritas direct, although with the transformer coupling in the Aeris there may be incompatibilities.

Finally, I will try the ODSE to Criterion to Veritas as I have been, but add in the Short Block (which, from what I understand, basically divides the small dc USB power from the line which helps to improve sound. Makes sense, let's see....

The Aeris has about 570 hours on it by days end. That means just 6 more days and it will have over 700 hours on it. Then I can run the real head to head and get poor Steve's gear back to him so he can pass it on to another lucky audition. Remember, even if I decide on Steve's ODSE I need to send this one back and he builds me a brand new one.

A few days later, the DirectStream will have its 500 hours on it.....