Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

I think for me, this thread has shown me that digital is the most difficult part of my system to understand and then to get right. Like other components, I'll just figure out what I really want to spend and then make decisions based on what the dealers have and plug them into the systems and see what I like best and why. I just redid everything. It's not cheap for me, but it sounds great. Do I want it to sound better? Of course I do. I ended up getting a Music Hall DAC and a balance set of AQ Niagara cables to hook it up. Cabling made the world of difference and I figured that when I upgrade digital, I will keep the cables. I went with a Basis TT with MB Glider cart and a special Cloud 11 platform. It still sounds better to me than any of the top digital I've heard at the stores or in friends systems. I guess in time, I'll spend another 3k to upgrade storage, DAC or media server to make my life easier. I guess I'm still waiting for all this stuff to sort out and finally make it over the top to sound as good as the analog does. JMHO...I'm learning a lot here and thanks.

Digital to me is the hardest to get right versus any other component, but don't think analog is easy. You have the table, arm, cartridge to mate well with each other and then have to set up the cartridge which is no easy feat. You then need a great phono stage. Let me tell you analog aint easy, but the rewards can be great.

Thank you so much Alex... Let us keep in touch! G.

Hi. Don't take my answer as biased because I am a manufacturer but first I am music lover and I get very emotional about ENGAGING sound. Like you I use red book and red book only. I don't care for anything else. My two advice are: for RB I would only use R2R dac chips and ZERO, I mean ZERO op-amps. These two advice will get you where you wanna be. So it could be as simple as TDA1543 one dollar dac chip with one FET transistor or something as radical as PCM1704 with triodes. Just my Polish 2c.

Hi Lampizator,

Great to see you here. I see you mention a 'family member' of Zanden's TDA 1541 double-crown. What is your thinking on that chip and those that use it? Just curious.