Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

UPDATE:

Just so that the audio only guys here don't go crazy listening to car banter during the lull....

I spent about 2 hours listening yesterday to my new, fully burned in, ODSE.
Just as good as my loaner! Don't know why, but I was a little worried. Totally unjustified, it sounds amazing! Every time I listen to that ODSE I fall in love with my music all over again!

The current setting of the K-01 will be done on the 23rd. There is one other setting I want to burn in, and I'll do that using the USB input so that gets cooked at the same time. Gonna be a bit before I can compare ODSE DAC to K-01 DAC. I burned my test tracks onto CD, so I will also compare K-01's CD player to my ODSE as well... Sorry, with all the burn in, it's gonna be a bit.

I'm working on another project that I will report on if I can get my ducks in a row. Should be very cool.

PDK vs manual is, coincidentally, very much akin to CD vs LP.

Mattnshilp, exactly my thought except I will concede PDK is superior to manual if performance is major criteria. Tiptronic was a joke but PDK is the real thing ... no human can process faster than a computer.

Al - Okay, I understand now what you are saying. These are specific effects, like ground-bounce, crosstalk, ground-return sharing, EMI etc..

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

APL wrote:
"Yes you are using Op Amps for I/V conversion, but the Berkeley example has them all the way, from DAC chip to output."

Op-amps are far from perfect, even though the textbooks would lead you to believe it. However, like most things, the answer is "it depends". It depends on how the power for the op-amp is treated and what op-amp you are using. I have done a lot of experimenting with op-amps in the past and learned a lot of things that are not in the textbooks. If you choose the right one and treat it properly in the design, it can be just as good as a discrete circuit and sometimes better because the layout of most discrete circuits does not allow for optimum power delivery. The compact nature of chips allows for optimum power delivery.

"Further more, claiming that S/PDIF is best as well as DSD to PCM conversion (even done by a computer) is way out of line, at least in my experience. "

I never claimed that S/PDIF is the best method for DAC input, but again the answer is "it depends". If the circuit is well-designed, a good coax cable is used and the right receiver chip is used, it can be every bit as good as the best internal USB interface. So close that no one can pick it out in A/B comparison. I have done this.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

anything made by CHORD is absolutaly awesome....for the money.