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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
ron17
607 posts
 
@mattnshilp 

I have an Innuos Zenith mk2 SE feeding a Mola Mola Makua preamp/DAC....Looking forward to your thoughts on the Innuos Statement and the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC...if you can get your hands on them.
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
Thanks Matt.  I agree with you on our Memory Player server.  I'm really pumped about what they are doing with my DAC.  Can't wait until he gets the Stealth Caps in and he can start to build it so I can get my full set up breaking in. 
astrostar59
13 posts
 
http://www.ariesceratespana.com/kassandra-websized/Kassandra-main-photo.jpg

I would put forward my DAC on this list, the Aries Cerat Kassandra Ref II. A superb high end DAC, R2R, AD1865 chips (16 of them) superb gain stage with E280F tubes, transformers on the output. I have tried many DACs and this one is special, an end game for me. I have recently also ordered the Aries Cerat Genus SET integrated amplifier and set up my room as a demo room for Aries Cerat in España. I haven't been this excited about digital for a long time.

I have owned or had at home:
1. Pink Triange DeCapo with battery supply Remember this one? A classic and quite radical at the time.
2. Various Meridian DACs circa 1995
3. Various Naim DACs circa 2000
4. A Linn CD12 (borrowed for 4 weeks) (2014)
5. MSB Platinum inc Signature Powerbase (2016)
6. CH Precision C1 (2017)
7. Chord DAVE (2017)
8. Lampizator Golden Gate (2017)
9. Naim CD555 (used item - 2017)
10. Audio Note UK DAC 3.1 (2014)
11. Audio Note UK DAC 4.1 (2014)
12. Audio Note kits 4.1 heavily modded (2015)
13. Audio Note UK DAC 5 (2017)

All of these DACs did somethings extremely well, but fell short in other crucial areas. The C1 for example, initially I was super excited about this DAC, and had it for a full day in my system. But after 3 or 4 hours it began to unravel and I found certain types of music didn't sound good on it, particularly strings and female vocals.Others such as the Naim had great rhythm and drive but lacked soundstage and transparency. The DAVE had soundstage and transparency but lacked weight and realistic timbre. Others sounded too digital in the true sense, a coldness and lack of three dimensionality, boring even. The Audio Note kit 4.1 when modded was actually very good within it's envelope. In fact I have kept that DAC, partly as it is 'my creation' to an extent. But still not there....


Anyone wanting to hear it just PM me, you are more than welcome. I would pitch the Kassandra against any DAC, budget unrestricted.

 
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lordcloud
155 posts
 
Has the Rockna been discussed? Not the older one with the inferior MSB solution, but the newer version with their own decoding? I've heard almost nothing but good things about it, and it is praised by many as one of the best dacs you can buy. 

Does anyone have any experience with it? Especially compared to the usual suspects (MSB, DCS, etc.)?
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