Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

02-16-15: Mattnshilp writes:

Metralla - I meant no disrespect. I happen to have an intense fascination for the linguistic origin of expressions (and curses). I was just sharing another of my passions.

Absolutely not a problem. I am just surprised given your passion you have some software that changes what you write. I'm just on a browser (Chrome) on a laptop and nothing I have changes what I write. All spelling mistakes are my own. ;)

I am not familiar with auto correct - but I know it happens and you are not the first to mention it; hence my interest.

We do share a similar passion and I am guilty of looking up phrases I don't quite think are right - and then getting lost in entymology. I come originally from Australia and we have a huge range of colourful expressions that many here would not know, but were part of my growing up. I sometimes fall back into incomprehensible jargon just to scare the locals.

Carry on - I very much enjoy your thread and don't mean to derail it.

Regards,

Mitch - a good USB interface requires special attention to power supply, power delivery, ground-plane integrity, impedance matching, logic family choice, clock oscillator choice, minimal gate-level design and of course implementation of the circuit board. These are all design skills that are not taught in college.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"The Antipodes is Unix based, while the CAT is Windows based. Any advantages to either?"

As I said before, the only OS that will give you the sams SQ for wav and FLAC is Linux.

"Also, couldn't Mitch simply use your Short Block to sever the USB power to his DAC? Or do you feel that the off-ramp is also needed to significantly improve his USB input stage?"

Short Block may improve things for him, but it will not reduce jitter to really low levels like the Off-Ramp.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

AL,
Music Vault is good stuff, i am told by my pal Playintheblues.

GUys, I speced out a MV server, however based on what Steve said, I went the less expensive route with the mac mini, 2009 and Hyenes power supply. I gets here in a few hours and I can't wait to finally hear my new/used OSDE with server. It will be a steep learning curve for me I think, but I'm hoping not. I will need a new HD to store my own CD;s in a Raid 1. Do you guys think that I should buy a dedicated ripper like we've discussed or just use the integrated super drive built in?

Steve mentioned an iremote program, but I can't find it for some reason. Steve, is bluetooth or wifi left on in the mac? I assume you are using one or the other to use the remote iPad with the Amarra. I've never used any of these programs, so that's why the steep learning curve.
Thanks all.

If I had the money, I'd go with the Antipodes DX. I like PJ who distributes them and think he reps good products and supports them. I have heard a few servers and noticed big differences in each. So far, I have liked the Baetis with Berkley or the Trinity. That said, I heard them with top of the line Naim and Rockport speakers so it's hard to make judgements, lol. I heard the NAD stuff as well as their Blue sound (or whatever it's called) on Wilson Sasha's and Ayre AX5 (not the Twenty). They were just streaming from their HD files kept in Flac I was told. I didn't like either that much. The servers we are looking at are in a different league, however the Mac mini set up is 2500 or less depending on your build out, so if it's even 80% of a 7k Antipodes, that should be considered also.

My personal view based on my research says that we are looking at the tip of the iceberg IRT servers. I think the costs have to come down and or the quality MUST get much better. Matt, I"ll call when I can to talk about this, but I think we will see servers start to give us everything we want within the next year or so and we will see a ton of new companies in this field. Many will be start up guys who are true computer folks and some will be companies like Ayre, Boulder, etc.. The need/demand is there for all levels and the integration, ease of use and SQ all are important and will be addressed. I do think keeping your music on your own separate HD will be built into all of them, however I do think most will have their own expandable hard drives with a large SSD to cache what you are actually listening to. You should be able to rip and listen at the same time and eventually ripping will be very fast I think as that's why most of us want, especially in the beginning. That's why I want to know what you folks feel is best for ripping right now as I"m at ground zero. I can use the integrated drive or get a top drive. I need to know your thoughts on type/brand etc.. of HD you'd start with. Once I figure that out, I'll just back up with a portable 2T HD both at my house and one at my wife's office so that I won't lose my music, lol. I an also just change servers when I feel like it.

Thanks