Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Ok, so now I have done some research into a server/DAC/ NAS system. I'm totally confused. I spoke with someone from Baetis about their servers. their lowest price one is around 5k and it rips which I have to have. He was telling me that USB sucks as a connection and that AES is the best if you find a DAC that has it and that their 5k unit uses a BNC s/p diff connection. He said that any DAC is DSD capable with some program from JRiver and that it's marketing BS saying a dad is DSD capable ( believe that's how he put it).
I have heard some of the DACs in this thread and I haven't liked some of them. I have never heard Steve's DAC. I was told that Bel Canto 1.7 is a good inexpensive one and that the Berkley Alpha 2 is the best under 5k. This seems to fly in the face of what many in this thread have said.
I also liked a few other servers like Antipode and the Aries streamer looks like a good value, but I don't know how it really sounds as I don't know anyone who has heard it.

I don't want to go back and reread this whole thread so my question is where do we stand on DACS under 5k? What about what the Baetis guy told me? He also said that digital cables make a HUGE difference compared to analog and I fully believe cables are huge and always have heard a big difference.
Matt, are any of the DACS you heard in the 5k range? Maybe I would even be able to find a used model so that I can afford that and a server. I only have maybe 1k CD's and I still use phono or else I could go directly into an amp and sell my integrated. Wish I knew more about digital. Glad you have this thread...thanks all

My ODSE was just under $7k with the promotion running at the time. And you all know my feelings on its prowess. Spend the extra $2k and by a Mac mini and you'll be in heaven for well under $2k. Then buy my prized Merrill Veritas amps (about to be put up for sale) and hold onto your hat!!

I find anyone who bashes any method of signal transmission a questionable resource. I get ridiculously good sound from my Mac mini via usb. And the Trinity DAC, which retails for $53k, and many consider to be the best out there, relies on its usb input as its best input (so much so that the designer opted for usb as his choice of signal transmission from his transport to DAC).

CAD also has an exceptional usb input from what I have heard, and a usb cable that is also supposedly top notch.

As far as DSD goes, I can only give you opinion, not technical responses. Overall I do not prefer the sound of those DACs that convert everything to DSD to make music. I prefer my PCM to stay pcm until it's analog. DSD as a source has its advantages. I still have no interest in DSD and focus on red book cd and hi rez PCM. That said, there are certainly DACs that do DSD properly as DSD input processed in a DSD domain. DSD converted to PCM is a different story and can be accomplished with the proper hardware or software. I'll leave the technical answer to others.

Don't listen to me, listen to the DAC's. They speak for themselves. I can tell you the different ways to convert digital to analog yield very different sounds. You will unqionably prefer one way or one brand over another. Just get your ears on them and you will see.

Sorry, one more point about usb-
I don't know why, but many very high end DACs have opted for mediocre usb input/converter modules that make usb a poor input choice for that particular DAC. Maybe they believe, as you were told, that it's not worth the expense since most DAC users are still feeding their DACs bits via spdif from a transport. Berkeley Audio (and Concert Fidelity) are one of only a few companies that I respect their decision to exclude a usb input entirely with the attitude that if you need usb you are willing to use a properly implemented external USB to spdif converter.

Steve oviously puts huge effort, thought and energy into his usb input (read about his well respected Off-Ramp technology) as he believes his DAC is an ideal match to a computer as source as well as a transport. Alex's APL DSD used the XMOS chip for usb to very good effect, and I know that the CAD DAC and several others are designed (like the ODSE) to be used with a computer as source, so the usb input is better because it has to be.

I think that as Servers become the standard source, usb and Ethernet will replace SPDIF (AES, BNC), etc. But that last bit is my own opinion. I encourage the gentlemen from APL, Empirical and CAD to respond as I am truly curious about their thoughts as to what direction the future of digital transmission will take as Servers and NAS storage become the standard.

Sorry for the long message.

"He was telling me that USB sucks as a connection and that AES is the best if you find a DAC that has it and that their 5k unit uses a BNC s/p diff connection."

USB sucks if the design is poor, just like anything else that is poorly designed.

"He said that any DAC is DSD capable with some program from JRiver and that it's marketing BS saying a dad is DSD capable ( believe that's how he put it)."

Jriver can convert DSD to PCM for the non-DSD DAC, but there are DACs that are truly DSD capable, and double DSD.

"I don't want to go back and reread this whole thread so my question is where do we stand on DACS under 5k?"

Favorites are Bryston, Sony HA series, Metrum Hex, Resonnesence.

"What about what the Baetis guy told me? He also said that digital cables make a HUGE difference compared to analog and I fully believe cables are huge and always have heard a big difference."

S/PDIF, AES and USB cables all make a big difference.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Another DAC to consider is the Chord. Even the Qute with my Dynamo power supply and Short-Block USB filter is really great sounding.

As for digital interfaces, the problem with USB is variability with the computer software. I think there will be less of this reliance on the computer and S/W with Ethernet renderers. This is why I have designed a renderer that is interchangeable with my USB interface in any of my products, called "Interchange". Availability summer 2014.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio