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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
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
991 posts
 
Whitewind,
Trinity vs Vivaldi - this is absolute top tier stuff. Please tell us more about the comparison setting - preamp or no preamp, power amp, speakers, etc.
Thanks in advance. J.
computer_audio_design's avatar
computer_audio_design
8 posts
 
I had the good fortune of hearing the Computer Audio Design (CAD) which I think is a USB DAC - whereby you rip cd's to a computer first. Scott Berry also makes a kind of player/ripping device. I am not entirely sure ass to connectivity with your front end, but it was utterly brilliant - very natural, no glare, no hash, it was to all intents and purposes just right - I have never heard digital that 'right'. I've heard DCS which is fabulous but as a sort of CD High Res sound to it, Burmester has a certain luxury, MBL I recall had a Burmestereque luxury as well. But the CAD - that was something else - effortless correctness

Thank you Lohanimal!

Best Regards,

Scott Berry
www.computeraudiodesign.com
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
991 posts
 
Hi Scott,
Nice of you to drop by. I have read the rave review of your product in HiFi+. The transport currently does not have a direct input for usb thumbdrive, SD card or solid state hard drive. Would you consider this in your future designs for those of us who may not want to do streaming or have a computer near our audio rig? If not, could you tell us whether such a provision would compromise sound quality in any way?
Thanks in advance.
J.
computer_audio_design's avatar
computer_audio_design
8 posts
 
Hi Jon,

The CAD Audio Transport (CAT) is built with any music storage the customer wants. We can install SSD or HDD.

You can also use a NAS over Ethernet, USB thumb drive, etc. You can have multiple music storage locations if you wish. The CAT will see them all as one library.

So yes, there is a direct input for a USB thumbdrive on the CAT.

We recommend using internal SSD storage for music because in my opinion it gives the best sound quality of any option available.

Along with an internal SSD you can also connect up to a NAS via Ethernet if you wish.

Most customers choose a 1TB SSD, enough space for at least 1500 ripped CDs, which costs about £350 at the moment.

Best Regards,

Scott
www.computeraudiodesign.com
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
991 posts
 
Hi Scott,
All that you have said is indeed music to my ears, so to speak. If I do get the CAD transport, it would be solely for hi-res material. 1 TB of internal SSD is more than enough to hold my current hi-res collection. Can the transport output DSD or 24/192 data via spdif, either RCA or XLR, to any other hi-res DSD DAC?
I ask this because I have quite a number of such files but I note from your website that the CAD DAC is neither DSD nor 24/192 capable. Do you have any plans to incorporate such capability in the near future?
Many thanks. J.
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