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

Showing 3 responses by amg56

I had a dilemma with playing iTunes or JRiver, rips and other music files downloads with an equality of sound on my Antelope Zodiac Platinum Dac. The timing crystal is completely environmentally isolated so the timing is stable all the time (I leave mine on all the time). I wanted to convert these to the same bit depth and sample rate and in .wav format (storage is so cheap now). I use Aul ConvertR 48x44 PROduce-RD software to do all my conversions to my NAS which is my ROON server. I can play from NAS, stream from Node or Naim, play via Ethernet (for reliability) and Airplay through my Yamaha amp, (soon to by upgraded bigtime). I can listen to internet radio (preselected or me typing my favourite radio's ulr). My sound is uniform, until I play MQA and then the clarity is much improved. The thing is uniformity. You cant get a 16/44 CD quality file to be HD. What the Aul ConvertR software does is give you a means to input any format to (any) format you choose and change the bit depth and sample rate along the wany. It makes a big difference. The developer has also worked with JCat audio components for PCs. I used their gear to output quality sound via usb to the DAC and out via HD800 h/phones. I now convert all files from PC to NAS and play via Roon. Best sound ever, even if my system is not worth $10k all up. (This will all change when my new house, with a dedicated media room is built. I have project system worth well over $100k going in and the sound will be sublime...  sorry for long blog, but its a big subject.

Adrian

@gdhal if I had the huge library of music that you have I would certainly look to FLAC for storage. I am pushing 5 Tb in WAV my NAS library is manageable at the moment. The audio quality between the 2 is really dependant an the system you are playing it on. Mine sounds better with WAV but its not an expensive system either.

20Tb of FLAC music! How do you get time to listen to it all?

Crikey, In the small time I have been on this forum, each thread seems to degenerate into mine is bigger than yours arguments. I thought this was a means to exchange ideas and to help fellow audio lovers. I appreciate that there are contributors with real expertise out there, but lets not allow egos to degenerate friendly and spirited help and ideas. I have contributed to about 3 threads in well meaning contributions and each have been shot down, in my opinion, rather rudely. May be that's the US way, but we don't do that in Australia. Please lets be civil and well meaning in our conduct, or I'm out of here.