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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
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
I wanted to send a big Thank You out to Merrill of Merrill Audio (another lone wolf manufacturer who builds every piece by hand).

He loaned me a set of 2m RCA and XLR cables to do my shootout. They are exceptional and reasonably priced for how good they are. Merrill is very generous with loaning cables for auditions, especially since very few come back (ie. most auditions end in a purchase).

Google Merrill Audio and check it out. My Veritas monoblock amps are ridiculously good!!!! He also just introduced a Phono stage that the owner of VPI said was amongst the best he had ever heard. Check it out!
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Guido. I openly admit I would get better results with one of Steve's OffRamp USB to spdif converters. If I had an unlimited budget, I would have tried that.

But your statement needs to be reiterated. If you are planing on using a transport, especially transformer coupled, then the Aeris will sound better then my evaluation described. How much better, and what the differences would be I do not know. That is for me to not know and you to find out. ;)
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
PS - my Core Audio Mac Mini has a solid state hard drive. No spinning disks.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Synchro-Mesh and Of-Ramp have 30-day money back, less shipping. You just waited too long.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Matt, very nice that your MacMini already on SSD. Friend of mine made comparison in last couple of days between hard drive (do not remember brand) and Samsung 840 EVO 1TB SSD... He asserted that the SSD delivered harmonically denser images... I believe he may be using a MacMini re-hosted to Windows 7 into a Teac UD-501 DAC via a Prana USB cable.

Here are some additional twists for the permanently obsessive.... Does the SSD technology standard matter? 2.5 inch, vs MSATA, vs M.2... What about the SSD controller? What about the SSD brand, series, model? All things that potentially we can obsess about.

Admittedly, I am still a dinosaur... I am feeding Aeris SPDIF through the Esoteric X-01 coax output.... I do not believe X-01 SPDIF to be transformer-coupled. I will probably let music server technology steep for a bit yet before I take the plunge... Amongst other things, I need to make sure that the UIs to control the servers are fully interoperable with my non-visual access technology.

G.
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