Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Update to my last post about ARC CD-8's DAC versus DEQX's DAC: still listening back and forth but am trying to do a better job of equalizing the gain when I compare the DEQX's DAC to the CD-8's onboard DAC.

Just a reminder on the hookup.

When I use the DEQX DAC, the CD-8's digital output is directly connected to the DEQC's digital input. The DEQX analogue output, in turn, directly feeds into my ARC Ref 150 amp, but sans the Ref 5 SE and sans the CD-8's DAC and gain circuit.

By contrast, when I use the CD-8's onboard DAC, the CD-8's analogue output is connected in usual fashion to the ARC Ref 5 SE analogue input. The Ref 5's analogue output, in turn, is connected to the DEQX's analogue input, which in turn, is connected to my Ref 150.

So in the latter case, the signal is running through the amplification circuits of both the CD-8 and the Ref 5 SE. And in both cases, the DEQX is directly connected to my Ref 150 amp.

Does that make sense??

With gain equalized as best as I can achieve, the difference is at best a hairbreadth. I'm not sure that I can say which hook-up is better. Still testing.

So even if I say the test is a draw ... because I get similar results "with and without," not sure where that leaves me if I get similar results if I hook up my phono pre directly into my DEQX analogue input. Ref 5 SE irrelevance????

Just to be clear ... I am NOT speaking to the DEQX's main function ... which I to effect time alignment correction and room EQ of my speakers. I have separately reported that those corrections are significant.

BIF

09-27-14: Mattnshilp
Did anyone else go to the NY/Brooklyn show and come back disapointed?

Lampy was there, but had some speaker issues early on, which closed him room for most of the time I was there. It was opened at the end and I listened, but nothing grabbed me or blew me away…

Totem/Diavalet room sounded great. As did the new Kef Blade II with Parasound. Legacy Audio had speakers making good performances in a few rooms. Not much really reached out and grabbed me, and nothing came close to the sound I get from my own room at home. I guess that's a good thing…

Shows are always frustrating and often misleading. I know stuff that sounds great sound bad at a show. I had one friend who liked the Totem room and another who was underwhelmed. The Lampi crew told me the sound was rhubarb on Friday and better today due to time alignment issues with the speakers. The show speakers got damaged in transit and another surrogate had to be used which was not show ready. Oh well. They still managed to sell some dacs. C'est la vie.

Matt, so your rolling amps now too? Lordy....

Not rolling. Eventually upgrading. But my Veritas amps are SO good that it's going to take a HUGE investment to make upgrading worthwhile. Everything in between Veritas and stupid expensive isn't worth spending money to upgrade to because the improvement is not worth the expense. So it's stupid expensive amps I'm looking at.

But the listening room needs to happen first.

I'll report a bit about the amp while I'm reporting about the DSD-S.

Thankyou Audioengr for your reply, I believe in direct coupled componets, I have one now that I am happy with, I look forward to your new componet offerings that you are working on, currious, what is the usual shelf life of a componet you offer?, you know, how long do you sale a model before you come out with newer better?, cheers.

Audiolaby, The Job 225 power amp and the upcoming monoblocs are DC coupled. I am hoping to audition the monoblocs at the factory in a few weeks if their invitatation still holds.