Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

I'm sure there will always be new DAC's and more expensive kits to consider. Vitus, Aesthetix, Allnic, Lampy Big7(and then Big8,9......)

This coming Wednesday I will give the DSD-S another listen and listen to my ODSE, cooking for almost a week by then. I'll let you know.

I can say, quite definitively, that I am done trying to listen to a DAC without my preamp. Nothing gives the level of reproduction that I get when the electroncs are fed through my Criterion. I'd love to avoid needing it, but it's not going to happen short term.

The Vitus looks amazing and I'm sure it sounds it as well. Congrats. Feel free to post some thoughts on its sound here as well.

Matt,
Given all the discussion concerning these very latest volume controls and their technical advantages, it's interesting that you still prefer an active preamplifier. I'm not at all surprised by your choice. Ears are wonderful if you trust them.
Charles,

charles1dad, Hi, Matt has not listened to the volume control in a Aesthetix Romulas or Pandora signature, and, as far as I know, he has not listened to the volume control in the APL DSD-S player, I do hope he does give some thoughts about listening to the volume control of the APL Dac, Alex deserves some exsposure about his volume control he is raving about, who knows, it may turn out to be a good one, charles, I understand your position with active pre-amps, my interest is with what Matt has to say about alot of these modern day volume controls on todays digital, Happy Listening Charles1dad.

Hi Audiolabyrinth,
Perhaps I misunderstood Matt, but he wrote that he's done listening to DACs "without" his preamp (Criterion). So I assumed he has been listening via the DACs volume control up to this point. By the way if a DAC's VC were to better an active preamplifier I'd be the first to celebrate that achievement, so far, no go in my experience. Premium active preamplifiers are mandatory for me. So I can relate to Matt's desire to use his Criterion. He wants better sound quality.
Charles,

Oh my this whole single volume control pot, attenuator, LDR etc... vs active preamp thing. What Charles and Matt say times 1000. I have heard so many integrated units that claim to dispence with a preamp that I may not be able to count anymore. The gap in sound quality from those compared to my active tube preamp is so wide that an active is an absolute must.

As Matt and Charles say, this is true for us and our ears...for us. If you like the preampless sound, then great and it is wonderful to save all that money. I wish I could.

I have a Romulus and love it with my tube preamp. I have tried LDR's and transformer based attenuators that are touted to be the best and they take a far back seat in sound quality compared to my active ... to my ears.

No 3 inch attenuator board, LDR, or any other type of volume pot alone can compare to a full out active tube preamp in my experience.

The sound of an integrated volume is clean, fast, detailed, vibrant etc.... Every one I have heard shares these same great qualities for sure. Fact is they all sound like they were cut from the same cloth when compared to my active. All in the same "family" of sound if you will. Straight wire with gain and all that stuff. I can see why folks like them. Like all things audio it comes down to preferences in the way we like to experience our music. That's all. For folks like Charles and I and many others, a full blown active is prefered and no matter that form of tiny, stand alone attenuator is thrown at us.

I suppose Aesthetix even knows this as they and many of their customers certainly like the sound of their new, active tube preamp better than the 3 inch board in the Romulus. $1000 vs over $10,000, but many choose the more expensive Aesthetix option for "sound" reasons.