Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Aplhifi-Alex, There you go again with the good humor, these days, It's not that often I get a good laugh, you said, There will be no damage to the unit even if you throw it ups style from 3-meters above ground,,, LOL!, my sentiments of ups period, I have went through all kinds of mishaps with ups!, I try my best to stay clear of them, from time to time, I am forced to accept frieght or packages from them, The frieght business model is alot safer bet, like to see them attempt to throw Frieght!, Ha,Ha.

Alex- Are the fuses top tier audiophile grade? Do you think upgrading is worthwhile? I welcome your input and comments as I did Steve during my eval of the ODSE.

Matt, only the fuse marked 1.0A matters for the sound quality. The other one is for the standby power. After trying many well regarded fuses, I have chosen a certain type that sounds best for my application. So yes, you have topnotch "audiophile" fuse already installed. :-)

Please note that the DSD-S is voiced as it is, without additional tweaks.
Adding weight on top or nicer feet may result in different/better sound, but that is something you can do after you decide if you like the DSD-S or not.

Just like Stillpoints made a difference on your "milled from solid aluminum" amplifiers, I am sure that such devices will improve any audio equipment.

Coming back to your comments, the DSD-S can be anything else but harsh.
Maybe the harshness in your system will go away with burn-in but, sometimes, it can be caused by cables or other components on the line, not capable of processing the energy present at the source. This is similar to a pinched garden hose. :-)

Anyway, I'd suggest that you just let the DSD-S play for a week and then listen again. Then you can experiment with cables, for example. BTW, which outputs did you use for initial evaluation?

Best,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

Matt, with the exception of the fuse, the big L7 is fully tricked out. No other tubed dac comes with EML45s stock.

I will be adding a Synergistic quantum fuse when I get my 7 next week.

Aolmrd - No transport. Only source is my Core Audio modified Mac Mini running Amarra/iTunes via a Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB cable. I will be buying Audirvana software as well to try it out.