Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

It's sort of meandering about. I sorta like it.

Tubes for a bit, then music servers, now a bit on AC wiring. All good. And I'm learning a lot with each wandering.

I'm still cooking my Esoteric K01 so nothing to report until it's done. I'm happy to see the thread finds interesting things to fill the voids in time. The K01 will be done next Monday, 11/24. I will then compare the ODSE to the K01 as an independent DAC as well as compare the Mac/ODSE vs a red book cd played on the K01 - obviously with the same exact recordings (ripped CD file compared to CD itself)

I do have a local guy who can get the Allnic DAC into my room; he's also providing my Vicoustics treatments. And I just may have found a new dealer to work with who, I hope, can get me the Aesthetix Romulus Signature you all have been requesting I hear. I'll keep you updated on all of that as well.

But with a room build in progress, I'd rather wait for the Romulus and Allnic until my room is done.

I swear, Melbguy1, I haven't lost site of the topic. But my search is slow and methodical. And burn in chews up weeks at a time....

I will say that I am not (currently) pursuing the new Berkely top dog DAC since it lacks USB input.

Hi matt,Thankyou, That is big numbers for the views indeed, I personally have enjoyed your thread, going off to all the other topics has taught me a few things as well, like the topic of tubes for digital sources for sure,would be great to hit back on that topic, cheers.

IMHO, the K-01's internal dac is a bit long in the tooth now, as alluded to in another thread.

I humbly predict the following results :-

1) with the K-01 as transport feeding the well-regarded Overdrive SE dac, the SQ of redbook cd will beat out the internal dac of the K-01

2) a cd spinning in the K-01 transport will beat out the same redbook ripped file playing through the mac mini. The K-01 remains a very formidable transport for physical discs

3) VERY high quality redbook recordings on physical discs played through the K-01/ODSE combo are likely to sound as good as most hi-res files played through the ODSE's usb input.

Happy listening!
J.

great review Jon2020, I suspected that the out come would be as you exsperienced of the Esoteric K-01 player, let's see if matt comes to the same conclusion?

Jon2020,
I think you're right with the 3 predictions.