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Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Hi All.

Putting together a reference level system.
My Source is predominantly standard 16/44 played from a MacMini using iTunes and Amarra. Some of my music is purchased from iTunes and the rest is ripped from standard CD's.
For my tastes in music, my high def catalogues are still limited; so Redbook 16/44 will be my primary source for quite some time.

I'm not spending DCS or MSB money. But $15-20k retail is not out of the question.

Upsampling vs non-upsampling?
USB input vs SPDIF?

All opinions welcome.

And I know I need to hear them, but getting these ultra $$$ DAC's into your house for an audition ain't easy.

Looking for musical, emotional, engaging, accurate , with great dimension. Not looking for analytical and sterile.
mattnshilp
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Paul - also, thanks for the suggestion. I have the soffit stuffed full of insulation. With down or front porting, I have no base issues. Clean, tight, extended base down to about 23hz. Measured. I do have some more diffusion coming next week to manage my side wall reflections a bit better. But with the right speaker, my room sings now.

In fact, although they were not my favorite speaker I did measure an absolutely flat curve from 23hz to 21khz with the Lawrence Audio Double Bass in the room. Also proved to me that perfectly flat doesn't mean musical and engaging. Although one of my friends thought they were the cats Meow.....
musicmann1
96 posts
 
Have you listened to the SONUS FABER OLYMPIC 111 ? Have not heard it my self, but a lot of favorable on line comments. The port is located on the side of the speaker, (not the rear), so it might be an option. Not to expensive either (15k I believe).

CHEERS.....
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Olympic III only goes down to 35hz. The Amati Futura and the Strad are amazing. But neither integrate well into my room with their port location.

The Nola Metro Gold's arrived today. I listened briefly. As expected, the rear ports activate the room and pull the room into the equation. With the bottom or front port the room is silent, it's there but neither adds nor detracts from the music. The two low frequency drivers are listed as 6.5" in the specs but I measure them as 5 3/4" edge to edge. They measure in the specs to 25hz. Audibly they do that, but the visceral sensation of low frequency extension is not truly there; it is coming from their interaction with the room as opposed to directly from the speakers. Its reliance on the room to augment extension is exacerbated in my room with my nodal issue. The reason it's not as bad as some of the other speakers is that the speaker doesn't extend as forcefully as, say, my Der Muzik's. They have refinement and finesse in the low frequencies and aren't lacking. But they don't punch and have impact like I am after.

The rest is, at least on first listen, rather musical and engaging. The ribbon has shown me no sign of harshness or shrill behavior and the mids are proper, layered and just on the warm side of neutral.

I'll keep you updated on their progress. The amps and preamp were cold.
jh901
67 posts
 
Matt- remind us if your speaker auditions include both analog and digital front end? Which do you rely on most for speaker auditions? Is your DAC still the Overdrive SE?

Regards, Josh
mattnshilp OP
917 posts
 
Hi Josh.
75% digital , 25% analog
My ODSE is still my reference. I also have a Bricasti M1 in house. I have not had time yet to compare the 2 although they are clearly very different.
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