Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Bryston BDA-3  Look it up

Really? Ha. Not for this thread.
I'd love their legendary home theater prepro (SP3) for my home theater though!

Sold my server that Steve Nugent built. Ran on a Hynes SR5 highly modified by Steve.  Great unit.  The buyer, a great guy, drove up to pick it up.  He listened to my system for an hour or so.  He was shocked at how good it sounded.  He was particularly impressed by the Laufer Teknik Memory Player with internal DAC that I keep posting about here and on a few other boards.  It's not even set up properly yet and the DAC is prototype as I've said, but it's really special already. 

I'm really intrigued by where digital is right now and where it's headed.  What I find interesting is that the best way to keep up right now seems to be with the one to three person companies who are constantly upgrading the software.  They also upgrade the hardware constantly adn offer customers the upgrades as minimal costs so that you can keep up with state of the art easier than with the major companies. 

I'm sure may of you will disagree and that's fine as it will have to be an agree to disagree.  There are just so many good options we all have now.

@mattnshilp 

Been a while since we've heard from you. Hope all is well and you'll be able to update us on your journey. Be well....

Matt has been swamped this past year.  Not sure how much he's been able to do in audio.

I'm waiting on my Laufertechnique DAC to be cased and completed. Hopefully soon.  When it was inside their server it blew me away. I never expected it to sound that good. I have a feeling their new two box solution will be world class and have to be in this discussion of 'best' and not just 'best for price range'.

Hi all. Sorry for the forever no post.

Work has been insane and the family. Everything has been pretty stable system wise, and I haven’t had much of a chance to hear anything new other then Merrill Audio’s new 116 and 118 monoblock amplifiers; which are just sensational!

I am, weather permitting, planning on comparing the Naim Uniti Atom all in one to the Linn Majik DSM tomorrow. $3k retail and supposed to be VERY good for the money. Looking forward to that. I’ll report back after.

I also have a pair of LauferTeknic Porzilli Line Array Speakers heading my way. They are essentially the newest version of the now revered Pipedreams and Scaena speakers. Very cool design using all 1” drivers, like 40’ish per side. 2”x2”x72” aluminum towers. Yes, only 2”x2” enclosure dimensions!!!

The big news is that I am being courted by several on line Audiophile web review e’zines (no names announced yet) and may become a professional reviewer if it works out. My YouTube channel is up to a whopping 98 subscribers, which makes me sad because I think there is some truly sensational info there for audiophiles of every experience level.

I’ll absolutely report on the Naim vs Linn all in ones after I hear them.

Good to be back here.

I’m sorry but the Naim/Linn comparison never happened. Snowed in that day. 

I have solidified relationships with several print and on line audio review publications. 
I am elated to announce I will be working with Twittering Machines!

https://twitteringmachines.com/news-welcome-matt-clott-to-the-tm-review-team/

I am equally elated to announce I am also going to be a “freelance contributor” for The Absolute Sound!

Finally, I am equally equally elated to say that I am in the final stages of solidifying a relationship with Enjoy-The-Music!

So you will see me way less here and more at those fine on-line and print publications.  

And for those who want to check out my Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUubHSlBDkCZ0MlaVNNbUdQ/videos?view=0&shelf_id=0&sort=dd

Thanks to all!!!! 

Matt...you finally drank the kool-aid...8)
Congrats!

I am an admitted newb on the professional end. My hope is that I will be able to continue posting reviews with the same honesty, integrity and accuracy I have posted here all these years.

And thank you!!

All the best matt. Looking forward to your reviews the new role. 
Cheers 

Quick update. 

My affiliation with Twittering Machines was greatly exaggerated. There were a few specifics which, apparently, had not been worked out and we are putting it on long term hold for now. Sorry for the incorrect report. 

I will, however, be writing for Absolute Sound and Enjoy-The-Music. To be honest, I was probably biting off more then I could chew with 3 publications anyway. 

Stay tuned all. Thanks for your support. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel as well and I’ll try to keep things fresh on that end. 

Matt,

I guess you are now the Dr. Audiophile/Reviewer! Best of luck in ALL you do. 

Matt, if you are trying out class D (your ref to Merrill) then please try the Mola Mola Kaluga. Another top performer at a lower price point is the Nuprime Evo, not quite as good as Mola Mola Kaluga’s but best in its price group.

@toetapaudio - Since you mentioned the NuPrime Evo amps, I wondered whether you have any experience with their new Evolution DAC. I've been seeing some very favorable comments on it but not from anyone having experience with other top tier DACs. TIA!

Hi Bill, I’m afraid not but probably good for the price. The Makua by Mola Mola with dac module is outstanding imo but more expensive. The Makua is also very versatile, it can be fitted with an outstanding phono stage and in the future a streamer module will be available. Mola Mola is incredible value considering the performance you get from both the pre/dac and power amps. I know somebody who sold on his £50k Swiss class A amps and went with Mola Mola. He has an excellent system which is on YouTube. Also somebody I know in the audio business recently tested nearly every top class D amp and Mola Mola was best including some which were much more expensive. 

I have been reading this thread for awhile. I have several products that are mentioned throughout the thread such as Symposium Acoustic platforms and roller blocks which I also recommend. I was undecided on a storage music player for my hi Rez files. I have a T+A MP 3100HV DAC CD/SACD/hi Rez streamer music player which I love. For music storage & playback I was torn between the new Antipodes CX+DX or the Aurender N10 among other units. Really wanted something ROON ready. I decided sound quality was the most important for me so I purchased a The Memory Player 64/32. All I can say is WOW, OMG, the best digital I have ever heard. Really hard to stream or play vinyl again now that I have The Memory Player. 

Music, happy for you.  I too have TMP with the integrated DAC.  Sam is upgrading the DAC as we speak. I can't wait to get it back with all that high res music.  It really is special.  I've heard many of the top servers out there and so far nothing comes close. The way they lower jitter is crazy.  

I also got to hear the updated Rossini and the external clock.  It was ok without the clock, but the clock takes it to another level.  I wish I could get one in my house once my Memory Player gets back as I'd love to go neck and neck.  Laufertechnique is crazy good, especially for the price.  

Hope we can keep this fun thread going, even though Matt is now a big time reviewer, lol...;).  

Getting my The Memory Player back in a few weeks.  They are encasing it in a new design that I'm stoked about.  We've decided to keep the DAC inside the new sculpted box as they have totally separated adn isolated the power supply for TMP server as well as the DAC.  The new chassis is a cool design, but I'll let LauferTechnik share that info when they are ready (can't give away their marketing, lol).  

So pumped as the Stealth Caps are being installed this time around.  Cleaner layout inside with the new case, so that's pretty cool too.  I"m also glad that I'll be able to chose an external blue ray drive to record with.  I like an external drive that can be stored away when not needed and if it breaks, I can go get a new one. Also have the option to get one of the stack loaders to rip with (have any of you used one of these?).

Would love info on choosing the right ripper from you guys as I have over 2k CD's to drop into the HD.

I need to rip all my cd’s as well. 

Sorry for the minimal posts. Been so busy. 

I had had a special treat. Sort of ironic to post on this particular thread. But I was given a tour of VPI record player and cleaner manufacturer. Mat and Harry were gracious hosts, to say the least. A full post is coming. 

My buddy is distributing the Allnic gear nad wants you to get their phone stage, lol.  ;) 

dBpoweramp is a good ripper

+1 dbpoweramp, ripped over 1200 CDs FLAC uncompressed on a Windows 10 machine that is also my Roon core, never any issues.

@mattnshilp 

Will be eager to read your VPI review/write-up. Hope all is going well in your new pursuits.

I only record in WAV.  Does dbpoweramp record in WAV too?

Hey all. I have a pending review on Enjoy The Music for the new Lampizator Golden Gate 2. I’ll post when it’s ready to be published. 

I have also added a VPI HW40 turntable with Lyra Atlas cartridge to my system with a set of Crystal Cable CrystalConnect Reference Diamond phono cables and ground. I’m still deciding on a phono stage. My friend Merrill of Merrill Audio’s Jens phono stage is world class, but I’m waiting for his next generation Element Line phono stage next year. I like the Chord Symphonic a lot (more then the Pass 15) but I’m considering a few others (Allnic H5000DHT, Manley Steelhead RC and ModWright ph150). I went LP shopping the other day. I was mesmerized by how fun and satisfying actually buying and holding solid medium was. I haven’t bought a CD in over a decade and even then it was primarily to rip it right into my computer. While alphabetizing my LP’s, I was giddy like a school girl and couldn’t wait to listen. There is unquestionably something special about physically flipping through your music and putting an LP on the table
and that moment of anticipation as you drop the needle. 

I’m knee deep in reviews for Enjoy The Music and Absolute Sound. But enjoying the process. I’m blown away by the quality of affordable equipment these days. 

I still need to write up my visit to VPI. And I am WAY behind on doing a new video for my YouTube channel. 

Also, does anyone know a reliable service that I could bring/send my CD’s to so they can rip them for me into WAV files? I don’t have the time to rip 600 CD’s. 

Hello Doc, long time no talkie.

A couple of points we now have a Innous Statement on display and it is magical sounding.

We are also waiting on a T+A HV 3100 SDV which may be the first digital front end to exceed the Light Harmonic.

https://www.ta-hifi.de/en/audiosystems/hv-series/sd-3100-reference-streaming-dac-2/


The SDV 3100 is a technlogical tour de force in terms of digital engineering and uses all proprietary engineering including the world’s first native USB input board that can handle DSD 1024 or double rate DSD 512 which is the highest sampling freqency ever offered in a dac that can handle this frequency without using an internal upsampler.

You can choose if you want to listen to PCM or DSD files rather than having the Dac convert one to another.

What makes this dac special is a number of features:

1: NO XMOS USB board, the XMOS USB boards can not natively handle the highest rate USB signal for DSD 1024, so T+A built their own.

2: In house DSD decoding engine which can hadle DSD 1024

3: In house PCM decoding engine which can decode PCM 768k

4: Complete galvanic isolation of the digital input stage to the output stage, as well as complete isolation of the digtial and analog stages of the dac, including dual power cords separating the two stages from cross contamination.

5: Native streaming client

6: Apt X Blu tooth

7: Optional Analog preamplifier stage based on the $18k T+A P 3000 HV preamplifier a $2,500.00 option

8: Pure Class A headphone stage.

9: HDMI input and outputs for connection to a video system or video sources.

10: All aluminum chassis construction

Pretty cool eh?

With the Memory Player or The Baetis Reference running HQ player you can take a native digital stream and upconvert to DSD 1024 which should be very special.

Would you be interested in testing one if we do indeed get one?

Other cool new toys the Critical Mass Centerstage footers which are mind bogglingly effective.

Love to catch up it has been awhile.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Light Harmonic Davinci, T+A and Critical Mass dealers

mattnshilp and ctsooner -
Regarding ripping to WAV:
Seems you both have Laufer Teknik Memory Players. Do you guys plan on ripping to WAVE64, or just regular WAV?

I have a Memory Player installed with JRiver and I ripped some cd's to WAVE 64, as Sam included some WAVE64 files on my unit and I really liked how they sounded, compared to the same albums I have on cd and WAV.

However, album tracks that were ripped from cd's ended up being alphabetized instead of being put in track order. And then when I transferred my library - over 1000 cd's on a portable hard drive - all those albums ended up being alphabetized too. Sam has not been helpful on this issue - crickets chirping, no response to my requests for help.

I am wondering if you guys have experienced the same problem with ripping to WAVE64 and JRiver?

I switched to Roon and problem solved, but had to spend the bucks for a subscription, as well as dealing with the frustration of trying to get Sam to respond. Anyways, looking for additional insight into the problem.

Love how my Memory Player sounds in my system and I plan on keeping it. It's been a huge upgrade over my modified Mac Mini. It's a great sounding product which unfortunately is in need of better customer service support.

Thank you Matt for this thread!

By the way, Tidal sounds really good when played through the Memory Player and Roon. You might want to consider saving the headache of ripping your cd collection and just add the albums into your collection using Tidal and Roon. Just a thought to consider.

Thanks for sharing.  I think mine is WAV64.  It was downloaded by Sam, so I'm not sure.  I also don't use Roon yet, but want to down the line. I know he's be swamped with a lot of business stuff as well as some personal stuff.  Not an excuse, but his business is at the point where he may need to grow and add help.  I can't adn won't speak for him, but I know he's dealing with a lot.  

I agree that it's the best server I've ever heard and I've heard a ton of them in the upper price ranges.  I know that the DAC he built into mine is insanely good.  I don't think he's going to be doing many of these DAC's if any going forward, but it competes with anything I've heard under 25k (recently auditioned the brand new Rossini and matching clock.  He's installing some new components, including StealthCaps, so I'm excited to get it back and burned in.  

Thanks ctsooner. I wish Sam well. It does seem he has a lot on his plate, and that's kind of what I figured. The sound has been so good in my system that I want to keep the Memory Player, despite the bump in the road.

I just got the Mojo Mystique dac that Matt wrote about awhile ago. I am really liking it, but it's good to know that it is possible for the Memory Player to be upgraded with a reference level built in dac, even if he might not be building many more. Hoping you post more about your dac.

Thaluza - glad to hear the thread has been helpful. Wav64 definitely. Yes, sams Memory Player is amazing. I’m hoping to get the Innuos Statement over to compare the two. Sam has his hands full, but it's all good. The Memory Player has become hugely popular overseas and Sam is working hard on standardizing and increasing production. And he is also releasing his new Line Array speaker, which is supposedly amazing. 

Looks like I'll be getting TMP/DAC back in a couple of weeks or so. I can't wait to get music again.  Sam is also going to help me mount my speakers on their new 3" granite plinths.  I had them glue the slabs with a special silicone glue for vibration purposes.  Let's see if they make a difference.  I have a feeling it will take them up a few notches.  I have a friend who has sworn by this.  Vandersteen uses this set up for him top model 7's.  Can't wait.

I kind of have lost track of this immense thread, but would appreciate some help.

I am looking for a DAC with full active preamp (or full active preamp with DAC). I see that the Mola Mola fits my description, but would like to ask you if you know of other options.

Just to be clear, I am not looking for digital or analogue volume control. I want a full active preamp to be part of the package.

Thanks in advance

Hi. I have no true experience with the Mola Mola other then reputation; which is very good.

Is the analog source a secondary source or a primary source? Something you listen to occasionally? Or all the time?

i wouldn’t expect much from a true DAC with analog input option as far as true quality preamp. It would most likely be more of a convenience input.

Dacs in preamps and integrated amps are good and can compete favorably with other dacs up to $6-8k in high end product. But if your looking at higher priced standalone dacs there is not an internal DAC module that would compare.

Thanks @mattnshilp, I appreciate the input. My main interest is a full active line stage instead of a digital or analogue volume attenuator. Analogue inputs would be a secondary benefit, but not the main goal.

So the Mola Mola Makua preamp has a DAC optional card. It’s a preamp with an optional DAC card. Its like $15k with the card. Their formal DAC doesn’t have analog inputs. 

There are several very good preamps with optional DAC cards. So there are several options.

I do not recommend using a DAC direct to amp. The only case I have ever heard it sound ok is the Bricasti and Rowland DAC’s straight to their own amps. Preset to higher gain and impedance matched. Other then that, I have never heard a scenario where the system doesn’t sound better with a preamp in the system.

Vinnie Rossi has the L2 Signature Preamp ($17k), a full function DHT preamp, with optional DAC module. The DAC add-on is $3500 and I’d say performs well for that price range and above. So, certainly better DAC performance can be had with an external.. Point being and same as mattnshilp is saying, it depends on what level of DAC performance you are after. If you’re fine with good performance from a price point between what we mention, within a great preamp, then cool. Personally, I’d go preamp w/ separate DAC and/or DAC w/ internal pre or vol control. I do both and have the DAC straight to amp option for a pathway with excellent unaltered-by-preamp transparency. But ya gotta really like your amp/speakers combo (and cables) for DAC to amp to be pleasing. 

I second Vinnie's L2 with DAC option, his DAC seems to perform along the lines of an AQUA Formula, way above the asking price and the DHT preamp is special.

everyone I know who owns his gear loves it.  Cult following.  Another option that isn't in that price range, but easily plays in that league is the new Aesthetix Mimas integrated.  Jim White is a genius in his execution. It is a full on integrated with a DAC card or phono stage.  it's worth a listen. Not the last bastion of detail, but HIGHLY musical, engaging and emotional. 

Matt, could we say the Harbeth of integrated's?  LOL....

I agree to both options in those price ranges. 

The new Vinnie Rossie stuff is excellent in its price range. And the Mimas punches above its weight. Both are great choices in their class. 

@mattnshilp forgive me if I did not pick it out of this lengthy thread (really wish agon had better inner-thread searching) but have you heard the MSB Discrete DAC? Even with the extra power supply and a quad USB module, the DAC is well under 15K; From the website, this dac appears to deploy the same prime R2R modules (used in all the higher up models);
If anyone here has heard/bought this compelling looking model please chime in. Thank you

I have not heard any MSB since I heard the DAC V, which I discussed in pages long gone by. Years ago now. 

the new ones are supposedly excellent. 

Matt, the built in Laufer Technik DAC is crushing it (built into my Memory Player server which is by far the best server I've ever heard).  Just open, dynamic, Tuneful...you name it and it's doing it.  I know he's got a new tube to bring over for it next week that will raise the bar even more.

Guys, this is a prototype that Sam and Mark are about to break out and put in it's own box.  I don't know what they plan on charing for this one, but they have decided to bring it to market.  I've heard my prototype go from sounding nice to very good to outstanding.  Every change and rebuild had taken it to the next level.  The new cases will be stunning also. 

Right now there are so many great DAC's in the 10k ish range, that's it's awesome.

From the website, this dac appears to deploy the same prime R2R modules (used in all the higher up models);
If anyone here has heard/bought this compelling looking model please chime in

👍
Correct, I have an MSB discrete dac also, as this thread is supposed to be all about
" Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD"

I can still keep saying as I’ve always said way back, no other conversion topology comes close to R2R Multibit for doing PCM 16/44,  26/96 or DXD

Cheers George

Yes George, you will post as often as you can about the R2R, even though many of us feel that there are other designs that we feel sound better than any of the R2R's we've heard to date.  Both have their strengths and weaknesses.  That's the reality.  

Heck, Steve Nugent has made both types of DAC;s and is preferring non R2R right now for many reasons.  

Lot's of great DAC's out now in all price ranges.  

Yep, ct, you will say as often as you can that there are great DACs of both types. But there will always be people like George (and seemingly me, too) that will always hear something we like better in an R2R... 
 A DAC I like upgraded the model and in turn also went from R2R to DS. It sounded “better” within some typical audiophile categories, like tone, timbre, harmonics, among other, and it gets closer in to the Instruments inner details...but something was also lost. There is just something out on the edges of the information that sounds more natural when it’s R2R. Some of us will gravitate towards that and others will want the ‘more obvious’. But regardless, you are right; there are great DACs for all tastes and ears. 

There is just something out on the edges of the information that sounds more natural when it’s R2R.

Yes, I think it’s called "dynamic contrast" and it breaths life and jump factor into the music,when converting PCM 16/44 24/96 or dxd, I have thousands of CD’s and that's the title to this thread, don’t know and don’t care about dsd.

Cheers George

That’s good to know, George. My unknowledgeable brain interpreted it and has been calling it “proper volume scaling” of everything. 

Shame this thread died. Is the thread starter still around?

Hi jj901. Thanks for the kind words. This thread actually got me a job as a professional reviewer. I now review for Enjoy The Music on line and for The Absolute Sound. I felt that continuing on this thread would be a conflict of interest. So I retired from it. I have no problem with others using it though.