Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Mitch2,

I decided on the CAD USB cable because Scott (Mr. CAD) also makes a high end DAC. To me that differentiated him from the other cable makers. He has skin in the game. A friend of mine is in the process of breaking in a CAD USB cable. He is going from a Mac mini to a pair of Devialet 400s to Vivid Audio G-2 speakers. I hope to hear his system in the next week or so. I did talk to him a few days ago and he was sounding very positive about the cable. I have a new DAC on order and hope to have it by the end of the month. I will share my findings once I have some runtime on the system. I did reinsert my original USB cable (Wywire Litespeed - no longer made) after I had 500 hours on the CAD. It was not a difficult decision to keep the CAD.

Thanks Mr. Paul. I have decided to try the CAD cable based on your comments and very positive reviews from several others. I too am awaiting construction of a new DAC so hope to have the cable arrive about the same time.

Any opinions on Request Audio's The Beast server? Has anyone heard it? Anyone compared it to the Burmester server?

Thoughts on whether to go with a CAD, Antipodes, Aurender type dedicated server from a relatively new/small,server only company or does anyone think those companies will fade as the mainstream companies like McIntosh, Audio Research and such come out with their own servers?

PS- we are over 530k views.

Sorry I've been quiet on the posts. Work has been insane and the new room has taken up quite a bit of my time. I'm getting closer and closer to where I want to be.

I went to the Montreal show. Was anyIne else there? Any thoughts on good/bad rooms? Also, trying to go to Axpona. Anyone else?

Matt,
I have heard good things about the Antipodes although I have not heard one personally. The Beast is very expensive, and for me personally, I would go with the Antipodes and give it a couple of years. I think there will be lots of better servers years down the road (and may be cheaper), And who knows, the Beast may be in its second or third generation with better performance.

Matt, I see that Lampi will be in several rooms at Axpona, so you can satisfy your curiosity there. There will be Big7s and the Golden Gate Dac flagship showing.

The rooms are detailed in the Lampi section at Audiocircle forum. Lukasz will be there too, in person.